


Our Journey

by Paige_Turner36



Series: Rumbelle AU [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Ajira Flight 53, Alice/Tilly is not related to Hook, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anti-Hook, Apartment 407 - 89 Wooster Street, Belle punches Hook, Canonical Character Death, Dark Castle Flashback: Rumple’s Birthday, Detective Rumbelle - Story Weaver, Domestic Rumbelle, Episode AU: S02e07 Child of the Moon, Episode AU: s02e08 Into the Deep, Episode AU: s02e09 Queen of Hearts, Episode AU: s02e10 The Cricket Game, Episode AU: s02e11 The Outsider, Episode AU: s02e12 In the Name of the Brother, Episode AU: s02e13 Tiny, Episode AU: s02e14 Manhattan, Episode AU: s02e15 The Queen is Dead, Episode AU: s02e16 The Miller’s Daughter, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hamburger Date, Henry's story, Invisible Chalk, Logan International Airport, Multi, New York City – SoHo district, Once Upon A Time storybook, Romance, Rumbelle phone call speech, Rumple and Belle’s REAL friends, Storybrooke, Sweet Dreams Sleeping Curse, The Enchanted Candle, The Enchanted Rose, The Jolly Roger, True Love, True Love's Kiss, anti-milah, grandpastiltskin, the Dark One dagger, true love binds the heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2020-02-09 09:52:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 38,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18635758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige_Turner36/pseuds/Paige_Turner36
Summary: Belle helps Rumple in his quest to find Baelfire.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Rewrite of present day events of Child of the Moon, Into the Deep and Queen of Hearts.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. This is for fun and not for profit.

Belle’s wrist stung as she made her way to Rumple’s shop. In the distance she could hear Ruby’s joyful howling as her wolf-self ran free through the trees for the first time in twenty eight years. Belle was happy for her friend, truly she was. It didn’t matter to her that she was part wolf. But it still hurt that her friend would chain her up like that.

She and Charming had managed to bring Ruby back to herself, telling her that King George set her up and thanks to her wolf tracking skill had managed to track him down and was now under arrest. But it had cost them Jefferson’s hat as King George threw it on the fire. And poor Billy – poor Gus – was still dead. Murdered to prove a point. And Belle had discovered she wasn’t as brave and strong as she thought she was.

Her fate had been decided for her again. Rather than accept her help to see the good that Belle and David saw inside her Ruby had locked her up. Belle had told her about being Regina’s prisoner, both in her castle and the asylum, and she had done it anyway. And Belle had very nearly come apart through fear of being trapped again.

If she hadn’t had a bottle of hand soap in her bag she would have had a full on panic attack. Her chest had constricted from fear and anxiety at being chained to the wall again. She felt as though the room was shrinking to the size of her old cell, and getting smaller. So desperate was she to be free, she had panicked, emptied the entire bottle over her wrist and the shackles, pulling it out and taking half her skin off in the process.

Belle had braced herself on the desk for several minutes trying to calm herself; telling herself over and over that she was free, the chains were gone, she was in her library, before the sounds of an angry mob outside brought her back and she hurried to find Ruby.

Was this always going to be her life? Always the victim? Constantly needing to be rescued? Always needing to be protected? Resorting to calling Rumple for help when things got tough? And how was he going to react when he found out what happened?

The shop bell jingled merrily as she entered the shop. Belle closed the door gently so that Rumple, who was working in the backroom, would know it was her and not someone storming in demanding his help. She caught the familiar smell of brewing potions wafting out into the main shop and hoped her visit hadn’t interrupted Rumple’s concentration. That was all she needed to end the day; botching Rumple’s potion.

She parted the curtains carefully and peered inside. As she had expected Rumple was bent over a phial of purple potion, his chin virtually touching the table top as he held a pipette suspended over it. Belle didn’t dare breathe as she and Rumple watched the carefully measured drop of clear liquid drop into the potion, which hissed for a moment before turning bright blue.

Rumple straightened with a heavy sigh and rubbed his eyes in dismay. This was clearly not the result he wanted. He braced his hands on the workbench, his head bowed.

‘I’m sorry, Bae,’ Rumple whispered. ‘I don’t know what to do. I need help.’

Feeling awkward watching him in his grief, Belle cleared her throat softly. Rumple looked up.

‘Oh Belle,’ said Rumple straightening up. ‘I was –’

Belle came over and wrapped her arms around his neck. After a brief hesitation Rumple returned the embrace.

‘What was that for?’

‘You needed a hug,’ said Belle softly. ‘And so did I.’

Rumple held her closer, burying his face in her hair. ‘I want him back, Belle. I’m so close and yet he’s never been further out of reach.’

‘You will find him, Rumple,’ Belle promised. ‘You found me, didn’t you?’

‘Actually, it was you who found me. Speaking of which,’ Rumple gently pulled out of the hug, ‘what brings you here at this hour? Not that I’m not happy you’re here,’ he added hastily.

He was so adorable.

‘It’s Wolf’s Time,’ Belle explained.

‘Ah,’ said Rumple in understanding. ‘How is Miss Lucas?’

‘It was touch and go. But she’s got it under control.’

‘She tamed the beast.’

‘Mm-hm.’

‘What’s wrong? Belle?’

‘Nothing,’ said Belle. But she gave herself away by unconsciously tucking her hair behind her ear with her injured hand.

‘What happened, Belle?’ Rumple asked, delicately taking her hand to inspect her raw wrist.

‘Please don’t get mad.’

‘Because that always means good news,’ Rumple muttered darkly.

Belle looked at him pleadingly.

‘I promise,’ he relented.

‘Ruby… chained me up.’

‘I see,’ said Rumple calmly, masking an inferno no doubt raging inside him. ‘Did she know about your time as Regina’s prisoner?’

‘Yes. She thought she had killed Billy, she was worried the wolf might hurt me too.’

‘I can understand that. But was it necessary for you to be shackled? Like an animal?’

‘She apologised, Rumple. She felt terrible.’

Rumple stared at her for a moment, before he said, ‘Very well. It will, of course, not happen again?’

Belle nodded.

‘Then I shan’t take this matter any further. You have my word.’

‘Thank you.’

Rumple lifted his hand but stopped abruptly and seemed to force it down to his side, his hand balled into a fist. Belle knew what he had been about to do and was both touched by the gesture and grateful at his restraint.

‘You were going to heal my wrist,’ she said gently, so that he knew that she wasn’t castrating him for it. His heart had been in the right place.

Rumple nodded sadly, like a small boy confessing to stealing cookies from the cookie jar. ‘I know you don’t like it when I use magic,’ he mumbled.

‘Magic has its uses. It just doesn’t have to be used for every tiny little thing. We’ve lasted twenty eight years without magic. And the people of this world have lived the entire span of human history without magic.’

Belle held out her wrist.

‘But thank you for respecting my choices.’

Rumple smiled. His hand glowed white-gold and ran it over her wrist. Belle noticed that he only healed her most recent injury. Her scars from her imprisonment with the Evil Queen remained, for which she was grateful.

‘All better,’ said Rumple, kissing her wrist.

‘Thank you,’ said Belle, inspecting the white scars on her wrist. ‘I supposed I’ll have to get used to it: being a victim.’

‘What’re you talking about?’ said Rumple confused. ‘You’re not a victim, Belle. Why on earth would you think that?’

‘Because I’m always need rescuing.’

‘From what I’ve seen you’ve managed to rescue yourself.’

‘I couldn’t escape the Queen’s castle or the asylum. Jefferson had to rescue me.’

‘Well, I’m glad he did. Though I am annoyed he didn’t tell me you were there, I would have liberated you myself. But apart from that, Belle, you managed to free yourself in the mines and tonight.’

‘By luck. You would’ve pulled the cart back with me inside it if I hadn’t broken the cuffs. And if I hadn’t got free tonight I would’ve had to summon you. Unless David and Ruby would’ve come and found me in a blubbering mess on the floor.’

‘Belle?’

‘I...’ Belle felt embarrassed admitting it. ‘I had an episode. Or almost. I was so freaked out being chained up again, I couldn’t breathe. I keep boasting about how brave I am, but the truth is I’m not. I would’ve bailed and called for you.’

‘And I would’ve been at your side in an instant. You’ve been through so much because of how much you mean to me. Nobody could come out of all that undamaged. In fact, I would be surprised if you had.’

Rumple took her by her upper arms and rubbed them soothingly.

‘You’re still healing, Belle. Maybe you should talk to Dr Hopper, or at the very least someone who’s gone through what you have. And, Belle, you never, ever have to feel ashamed about calling me. I couldn’t bare it if anything happened to you and I wasn’t there. There’s no shame in asking for help.’

Belle smiled, raising her eyebrows at him.

‘All right, all right, don’t look at me like that with those beautiful blues,’ said Rumple, tapping her playfully on the nose. ‘I do see the irony.’

Belle giggled and hugged him. ‘How do you do that?’

‘Do what?’ asked Rumple, resting his cheek on top of her head.

‘Make me feel completely safe and completely independent at the same time.’

Rumple sighed sadly, gazing into the distance. ‘Because the alternative cost me my son.’

‘Rumple…’

‘I’m the most powerful man in existence, I hold the power of the heavens in my hand, and yet I cannot make a stupid protection spell.’

‘Hey… You created the curse that brought us here. You’ve come this far.’

‘Belle, I don’t have three hundred years. Baelfire doesn’t have that long.’

‘You’re Rumplestiltskin. You’ll find a loophole. With your resources you’ll find something.’

‘Belle, what resources do I have? I’ve read every piece of magic that’s ever existed. I can’t break through this new curse.’

‘Rumple, you’re the most resourceful person I know!’ Belle argued. ‘If you can bottle true love, you can do _anything_.’

Belle didn’t know what it was she had said, but it seemed to convince him. It was the same with Robin Hood. Rumple had lowered his bow when he saw that his wife Marian (the reason he stole the wand) was pregnant, but it was Belle insisting that he was not the kind of man to leave a child fatherless that did it. Without knowing it she had touched on Bae and reached the real Rumplestiltskin, the father who saved all the children in his village, not just his own.

Apparently she had done the same again now, and all she could think of was reminding him of how he successfully managed to bottle true love. Crossing a barrier spell was a walk in the park by comparison.

Rumple smiled and kissed her tenderly.

‘Maybe I can help. You made the true love potion with hairs. What if you used a hair from someone who wasn’t cursed? Like Regina.’

Rumple snorted. ‘Trying to pluck a hair from the head of the Evil Queen is about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye. Unless you’re me, of course.’

Belle smiled.

‘But I’m afraid it wouldn’t work. Regina was the curse caster. If I had to use a hair it would have to be from someone affected by the curse. And, unfortunately, everyone was cursed to forget. I’m sorry.’

Belle sighed, disappointed. She picked off a strand of hair that was tickling her arm and froze. She held it up, staring at it. She fought to keep her voice calm. It couldn’t be that simple. ‘What about someone who was cursed… but their curse was to remember?’

Rumple raised his head to look at her, saw the piece of hair she was holding and his eyes widened. They both stared transfixed at the miraculous strand suspended between them, and then at each other. _Oh my gods, has she just solved it_?

Rumple slowly took Belle’s hair from her and holding it as if it were made of glass brought it over to the potion. Belle joined him. Rumple lowered the hair into the phial. The blue potion hissed as it reacted with her hair. Was the curse fighting back? After what felt like an age the potion stabilized.

It had turned from blue to colourless. What did that mean?

‘Did it work?’ Belle asked faintly. ‘Does clear mean good or bad? Rumple?’

She glanced at him. Rumple was staring dumbfounded at the potion. Then he put a hand to his mouth with a choked gasp.

‘Oh gods, it _is_ bad,’ said Belle in dismay.

Rumple’s shoulders shook as he seemed to be crying.

‘Rumple, I’m so sorry! Please forgive me! I’ll help you make it right –’

Rumple lowered his hand and Belle saw that he wasn’t crying, but smiling. And not just smiling, but laughing. _Oh gods, she had broken him_. He turned to Belle, tears in his eyes and surveying her with watery gratitude. ‘Thank you…’ Rumple whispered.

Then, laughing like a madman – albeit a deliriously happy madman – he picked up Belle, lifted her high into the air and twirled her round and round the room.

‘Rumple!’ Belle cried in alarm.

‘Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!’

Rumple spun Belle a full five times and probably would’ve kept going if he hadn’t stepped awkwardly on his broken ankle and staggered against his workbench, throwing out his hand to steady them.

‘So this is good?’ asked Belle, breathless and giddy, Rumple’s happiness infectious.

‘Oh it’s good! Belle, you’re a genius! You’re – you –’ Rumple kissed the top of her head, and those beautiful hairs that had made his potion work.

He gently pulled her over to the potion.

‘So this is it?’ said Belle excitedly, looking at the little bottle. ‘You can find Bae?’

‘Oh, it’s too soon to tell. And I still need to test it. But I’m a lot further on than I was. Thanks to you.’

‘Oh I didn’t do anything. It’s easy to come in at the end. It is your potion.’

‘But you were the magic ingredient.’

Belle looked flattered.

‘Belle… may I take you for a hamburger at Granny’s tomorrow?’

‘I would love to.’ She hesitated, eying the potion. ‘Do you think… we can do one more experiment?’

‘What did you have in mind?’

‘A true love potion of our own?’

‘Why?’

‘It’ll be good to have a stock. And I was curious. We don’t have to.’

But Rumple obligingly picked one of his hairs and Belle picked one of hers. He pulled an empty phial from his potion kit towards them and they dropped them inside, sealing it with a cork. At once the hairs coiled around each other, Rumple’s glowed gold and Belle’s glowed blue as they started to make a cornflower blue potion.

‘Oooh!’ Belle was fascinated. ‘It looks different to the other one.’

‘Well, no two loves are exactly alike. Just as no two true loves are exactly alike. Each has its own signature colour, the same as a person’s magic.’

‘Wow,’ Belle breathed. ‘Our true love. It’s beautiful.’

‘Yes it is. Here.’

Rumple held out the phial to Belle.

Belle’s eyes widened. ‘Really?’

‘It’s yours too.’

Belle took it in her hands. ‘Thank you. I’ll keep it safe.’

‘I know you will.’

*

‘This is an unusual place to me.’

The Storybrooke Cemetery was indeed a strange place to meet for a date at Granny’s.

‘I know.’ Belle laid some flowers on the gravestone: Graham Humbert. ‘The Huntsman was always kind to me. He was as much a prisoner as I was. He actually tried to help me escape once. We both paid dearly for that. How did he die?’

‘All the evidence suggests it was a heart attack. Natural causes.’

‘Meaning Regina?’

‘Yes.’

‘What was he like?’

‘Sheriff Humbert? He was a good man. It’s unfair what happened to him. Miss Swan was devastated.’

‘Were she and him…?’

‘Perhaps more if her kiss woke him up.’

Belle sighed. Always the innocent who suffer. Rumple put his arm around her.

‘Shall we go or do you need a moment?’

Belle shook her head. ‘Let’s go.’

 

When they entered Granny’s, Rumple holding the door for Belle, the diner fell silent at the site of Mr Gold – the Dark One – on a date with the beautiful librarian. Belle tried to ignore them. They sat opposite each other in one of the booths and Rumple ordered two ice teas and two hamburgers, with pickles on his.

They passed the time talking and playing silly games. She had never seen Rumple this happy, smiling so widely it made his eyes crinkled, his deep throated rumbling chuckle was the most beautiful sound she’d ever heard. She hoped there would be more days like this. She never wanted to see that smile disappear. Rumple was always so sad and world-weary, he deserved some happiness.

‘Did I win?’ Belle asked.

‘You did,’ said Rumple.

‘Oh okay.’

‘Again.’

‘That’s the third time in a row?’

‘Third time in a row.’

At that moment Granny came over and set two plates of hot off the grill hamburgers in front of them. If they tasted as good as they smelled, Belle knew she had found her favourite food from this realm.

‘They smell delicious, Granny,’ Belle said.

‘They _are_ delicious. Didn’t take any dark magic, either,’ Granny added coldly to Rumple.

Rumple looked annoyed and seemed to be biting back some choice phrases he would have liked to say if Belle wasn’t present.

‘Oh and I charge extra for the pickles.’

‘Mm-hm,’ Rumple replied with a forced smile.

Granny bustled back to the kitchen.

Attempting to gloss over the hostile reception Rumple tried to joke it off. ‘I have a complicated relationship with her. As I do with most people.’

Belle smiled. ‘Well, it did take me a little time to get to know you,’ she reminded him.

Rumple nodded in agreement, smiling fondly at the memory of their time in the Dark Castle.

‘They will,’ Belle assured him.

‘…it’s disgraceful. Does she have no shame?’ said a disgusted voice from the counter.

Belle looked round at two burly men giving them dirty looks.

‘Maybe she owes him a favour,’ said his mate.

‘Maybe he’s paying her. No one in their right mind would go out with the town monster.’

‘It’s disgusting.’

Belle glowed red with embarrassment. The whole diner could hear them. The salt and pepper shakers rattled slightly as Rumple fought to contain his anger at their words.

‘Hey!’ Leroy called loudly from his table in between them. The shakers stopped shaking. ‘You know, if their conversation included you, they’d be looking more at you!’

The two men jumped.

‘Who Belle and Mr Gold go out with is none of your concern. And if your lives are so damn perfect, why are you bed-hopping with each other’s wives?’

The diner gasped. The two men looked at each other in shock.

‘Yeah! So maybe you should take a good look at yourselves before you start judging these two! Now get outta here!’

The two men scuttled away. As the door closed behind them they heard one of the men ask, ‘You slept with Julie?!’

‘Thank you, Leroy,’ said Belle. ‘You didn’t have to.’

‘What’re friends for, sister?’

‘Thank you for being gallant,’ said Rumple. He glanced at the door where the two men had vanished. ‘Are they really having an affair with each other’s wives?’

‘Nope,’ said Leroy. ‘But it’ll give them something to bitch about for a while.’

Rumple chuckled. ‘Much appreciated… You have your pickaxe on you, of course.’

Leroy raised said pickaxe with his name on the handle, grinning widely. ‘At all times.’

Ruby came over and placed their drinks on the table. ‘Two iced teas. You guys doing okay?’

‘Fine. Thanks, Ruby,’ said Belle. ‘Sorry about that.’

‘Hey. They’re the ones who should be sorry. They’re the ones who made a nuisance of themselves.’

‘All the same. I’m willing to compensate you for any loss trade,’ Rumple offered.

Three tables had cleared while they’d been sitting here. One couple fled the second they walked in the door. Two people got up as soon as they sat down. And Ashley with her husband Thomas and baby Alexandra came in and seeing Rumple turned and walked straight back out again.

‘Listen, they’re the ones with the problem, they’re the ones who should go. Besides,’ Ruby winked at Belle, ‘I think they’re just jealous you have the only delicious thing that _isn’t_ on the menu.’

The two women turned to Rumple. Rumple looked blankly from one to the other before picking up his menu to check. Belle giggled.

Rumple looked back sat Ruby and then his brain seemed to process the obvious flirtation. ‘Oh, _I’m_ delicious!’

‘Yes!’ Ruby exclaimed. ‘Oh, wow, that came out quick.’

Rumple looked to Belle. ‘Delicious?’

Belle nodded. ‘Absolutely.’

‘Anyway, I better get back to work. Oh!’ Ruby lowered her voice to Rumple. ‘And don’t worry about the extra pickles. I’ve taken care of it. Just don’t let on to Granny.’

‘I can’t ask you to –’

‘See you guys later. Enjoy.’

Ruby hurried away before Rumple could protest. Belle smiled, but it faltered as she saw that Rumple looked troubled and so unsure; how he nervously rubbed his hands, eying Ruby’s retreating back, then glancing at Granny behind the counter and then at Leroy eating a boiled egg.

‘Hey… what’re wrong?’ Belle asked softly. ‘Ruby wasn’t making fun of you, it was a compliment.’

‘No, I-I know,’ Rumple mumbled. ‘I’m just… I’m not used to that.’

‘What? Having beautiful women flirting with you?’ Belle teased.

‘People treating me like a man… not a beast. And not because they want something from me. Or because they’re your friends so that _have_ to.’

Belle’s heart broke as she realised. ‘You’ve never had friends?’

Rumple shook his head. ‘Does Bae count?’

‘Well, maybe this is a good thing. You’ve got friends now. If anyone can understand controlling their inner beast, Ruby can. And Leroy…’

They looked over at Leroy, who was gazing longingly at Sister Astrid who was getting a coffee. She saw Leroy and promptly knocked over the stand of muffins and scrabbled to pick them up, blushing furiously.

‘No one knows forbidden love or prejudice like them.’

‘Alone is all I’ve ever known. Alone protects me.’

‘Friends protect people. Friends help each other. Friends help with protection spells,’ she added

Rumple smiled. ‘That’s true.’

Pleased to see that smile restored Belle turned her attention to her hamburger.

‘You know,’ Rumple reached across the table for a red bottle, ‘you should try it with ketchup.’ He grinned like an eager schoolboy. ‘Condiments are this world’s most _powerful_ magic.’

Belle lifted the bun and Rumple squeezed the ketchup bottle, drawing a heart on her burger.

‘Careful, Mr Gold. You’re in danger of damaging your fearsome reputation.’

‘Oh Belle. I fear you damaged that a long time ago.’

Rumple and Belle shared a kiss over their burgers.

‘Now. I’m anxious to see if I have competition for your “delicious” top spot.’

Belle laughed and reached for her hamburger.

And then Regina entered the diner and marched straight up to their table, not caring that they were in the middle of a date.

‘Gold. We need to talk,’ said Regina bluntly.

‘Do we?’ said Rumple irritably, leaning heavily back in his seat, resigned to the fact that they would not get a moments peace today.

Granny, seeing the iceberg, intervened swiftly. ‘Folks, I think I may need to close early. Everybody out.’

‘No, it’s okay,’ said Regina. ‘We’re civil.’

‘Yeah, for now,’ said Rumple. ‘Belle, you remember the woman who locked you up for twenty eight years?’ he asked conversationally.

Belle really didn’t feel comfortable being this close to Regina. Even though Rumple was here so she was safe from her retaliation, it still didn’t erase those times Regina would observe her through the cell hatch, relishing in her misery. Besides, this looked like one of those conversations where she wasn’t part of it, which gave her the excuse to leave.

‘Well, I should probably…’ Belle made to stand up.

‘No, no, please stay where you are,’ Rumple interrupted, quietly pleading with her to stay. ‘Whatever she has to say won’t be a secret from you. And whatever she wants, she won’t get.’

Belle sat back down. Rumple was including her in the conversation, quietly assuring her she was safe from Regina, that he wouldn’t keep secrets from her and if, knowing Regina, it was something nefarious, he would refuse to help.

‘I’m actually coming about the one thing that might unite us,’ said Regina.

‘And what on earth can that be?’

Regina leaned down, deadly serious. ‘Cora.’

Now Rumple was listening.

‘She’s coming from our land. I need your help to stop her.’

‘She was dead. You told me you saw the body.’

‘Apparently you taught her well. She’s not, and she’s on her way and I don’t think I need to remind you how most unpleasant that would be for both of us.’

‘For you. I can handle Cora.’

‘That’s not how she tells the story.’

‘I won in the end.’

‘Maybe. But there’s a big difference this time. This time,’ Regina looked directly at Belle, ‘you have someone you care about. This time you have a weakness.’

Rumple looked at Belle too; some of the worry Regina was feeling flickering in his eyes. If the Evil Queen and the Dark One were scared, then this Cora must be bad.

‘I’m sorry, who is this woman?’ Belle asked.

‘Someone you’ll never meet,’ Rumple assured her. ‘So you say she’s coming,’ he said to Regina. ‘Where is she now?’

‘With _them_.’

 

They all convened in the pawnshop. The plan was for Henry to talk with Aurora in the Netherworld so she can tell Emma and Snow how to stop Cora. Charming wasn’t happy about sending his grandson back into the burning room, but this was the only way they had of communicating with them. Rumple sat down next to Henry and gently placed him under a sleeping spell, whilst telling him the story of how his grandparents had (supposedly) captured him with squid ink and that a supply of it was hidden in his old jail cell. Rumple had a good storytelling voice. Belle could listen to him reading the phonebook.

She noticed how differently he treated Henry compared to everyone else in town. Rumple had always had a soft spot for children. He doted on Jefferson’s daughter Grace like a second father and whenever a deal had involved children, he had always taken on the price himself or requested something small, like a slice of cake, or a cup of tea. With Henry it was more than fondness; it was almost as if he were also his grandpa. He had even given him the amulet for free. Perhaps Henry reminded him so much of his son Baelfire. Never having seen a picture of him Belle didn’t know if there was a physical resemblance, but she liked seeing this side of Rumple.

But Henry wasn’t asleep for more than a few minutes before he woke up. Something had ripped Aurora out of the red room before Henry could give them the message and the violence of that action had caused Henry to sustain a severe burn to his arm. Rumple healed it but advised against sending Henry back in there until he had time to recover. This prompted the rare site of Prince Charming and the Evil Queen uniting against Rumple at him even considering sending Henry back in there. Rumple defused the situation by stressing that he understood perfectly well the dangers of sending Henry into a room filled with flames but if they didn’t Emma and Snow would surely be dead.

But with no Aurora, what was the point of sending in Henry when there would be no one to receive their message?

‘Because there will be someone there,’ said Belle.

Everyone looked at her.

‘Who?’ Regina demanded.

Belle turned to Charming. ‘Your wife.’

Charming’s eyes widened as he remembered that Snow White had been placed under a sleeping curse before.

‘That is a very big assumption,’ said Regina dangerously to Belle.

Thankfully Charming intervened before Rumple could tell Regina to step away. ‘No. No, it’s not. Belle’s right. Snow was there once before. She can go back. She can find a way. She will, I know it. And I’ll be waiting.’

‘You’re going to this Netherworld?’

‘I faced you. How bad could it be?’

‘It’s not as simple as that,’ said Rumple. ‘You can’t get there. You haven’t been under a sleeping curse.’

‘Well then put me under one,’ said Charming impatiently.

‘If we do that, there’s a chance you might never waken up,’ said Rumple, his Scottish brogue becoming more prominent in his frustration to get Charming to understand that the plan, whilst sound, had risks.

‘Sure I will. When I see her she’ll kiss me and I’ll be fine. Now put me under. I’ve spent far too much time looking for my wife. It’s time to bring her home!’

There was no talking him out of it. So now they set about brewing a sleeping curse. Luckily they had all the ingredients they needed in the shop.

‘Belle, please can you fetch some belladonna out of my case,’ said Rumple as he measured valerian root.

Belle opened his potion kit and searched through the phials until she found a little bottle marked _Belladonna_. But another bottle caught her eye. Unable to curb her curiosity Belle pulled it out. It was a black bottle; with a picture of a skeleton resting on a stone alter with its arms folded across its chest.

‘ _Sweet Dreams_?’ Belle read, unstoppering it, releasing a faint haze of sweet smelling blue smoke.

Before she could inhale Rumple’s hand slammed on top of it. ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa!’ He wrenched it from her. ‘How have you not had an accident in my workroom is beyond me?’

‘You never used to let me into your workroom.’

‘Exactly,’ said Rumple, putting the stopper back on.

‘What is that?’ Belle asked.

‘It’s a sleeping curse.’

‘Wait. Why are we brewing a sleeping curse when we have this?’

‘Because we want our charming prince to waken up. Belle, this is one of the deadliest poisons in the world. The ultimate sleeping curse. Not even true love kiss can bring you back. It traps you in your own mind with good dreams that makes the victim not _want_ to waken up. It gives you everything you ever wanted, so that you’ll follow it into oblivion, whilst in the waking world your life-force is being drained, until the body dies and your soul is trapped in the dream world forever with no way back.’

‘So that skeleton isn’t just for decoration?’

‘No. That’s what happens to you.’

‘That’s horrible. I wonder why Regina didn’t use this on Snow White.’

‘Snow White ruined my life,’ said Regina, who had come over to see what was taking so long with the belladonna. ‘I wanted revenge. Did you really expect it to be a pleasant experience? I wanted her to suffer as I suffered. And trapping her in an eternal sleep with nothing but dreams full of her own regrets was the prefect way for me to enact revenge. At the time,’ she added to Henry. ‘So. Belladonna?’

Belle held up the bottle and Regina snatched it without a word of thanks. ‘You’re welcome.’ She turned back to Rumple. ‘Why do you have this?’

‘For a rainy day,’ said Rumple quietly.

‘What kind of rainy day would have you reaching for such poison?’

A cloud seemed to pass over Rumple’s eyes as he stared at the bottle. ‘When there are no more sunny ones.’

Belle suddenly had the horrible mental image of a skeleton with gold teeth, wearing Rumple’s suit and moonstone ring lying on the cot. If ever Rumple’s life became too unbearable, if his suffering was so great, so without hope, then this would become the final option.

‘Well,’ said Belle taking _Sweet Dreams_ out of his hand and replacing it back in the case, ‘it’s a good thing your days are sunny now.’ In its place she put the protection spell she had helped him complete in his hand. ‘And very soon will be even brighter.’

Holding the potion that would reunite him with his son Belle saw in Rumple’s eyes the light of the sun appear from behind the clouds. Then he smiled and turned a grateful face to Belle. ‘Yeah.’

Belle pressed a lingering kiss on his cheek.

‘Well. We best prepare the prince.’

While Regina finished the sleeping curse with Henry, Rumple explained to Charming what to expect when he went under. They would be doing this the old-fashioned way; through blood, by pricking one’s finger on the needle of a spinning wheel. Rumple’s spinning wheel no less.

They really had stepped through the looking glass: the Dark One, the Evil Queen and Prince Charming working together for good, Rumplestiltskin as Maleficent and Regina preparing to curse Prince Charming but to reunite him with his true love rather than separating them.

Henry hugged his grandpa, wished him luck and gave him the amulet to keep him safe.

‘Good luck, David,’ said Belle.

‘Thank you, Belle,’ said Charming smiling.

‘It’s time,’ said Rumple, seated at his wheel.

‘When I awake, I’ll be in that fiery room?’ Charming asked.

‘Not exactly. That room is where those who’ve already awoken from the curse return. You, however, are being put under for the first time.’

‘Then how will I know where to go? How the hell am I supposed to find a room with no doors?’

‘And that, dearie, is the conundrum we’re all depending on you solving. Now I say this with the utmost sincerity: good luck.’

Rumple spun the wheel and Charming, his expression determined, pricked his finger on the needle. The effect was instantaneous; Charming’s eyes slammed shut and he slumped over on the cot. Belle and Henry rolled him on to his back and tried to make him as comfortable as possible.

They waited. The minutes lengthened and Charming’s chest continued to rise and fall.

‘Come on. Come back,’ Henry whispered to his grandpa. ‘Should he be in there so long?’

‘I’m sure it’s fine,’ said Regina reassuringly. ‘I imagine they’re just catching up.’

Belle glanced over at them. Regina exchanged a look with Rumple, who shook his head.

Something had gone wrong. Charming was trapped under the sleeping curse. And it was she who got him all excited about seeing Snow again if he did. The only good it did was keep Henry from further harm.

While Rumple and Regina disappeared into the front of the shop to discuss Charming’s fate, Belle suggested Henry read to him, if only to distract him. Ever on hand with his storybook Henry recited his grandparent’s story to his grandpa.

‘“With one kiss, true love’s power made everything right again. But this was not the end of their story. It was just the beginning”.’

‘I think this time, it’ll happen the other way around,’ said Regina, walking back in.

Henry looked up from the book. ‘You think so?’

‘I do. Which is why I need you to stay here with Belle and watch David for a while.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘Mr Gold and I need to prepare for Emma and May Margaret’s return. Coming through the portal won’t be easy. We need to make sure everything’s in place.’

‘Really? You’re really going to help them?’

‘I promised you I was going to do better, to be better. So yes, I’m going to do everything in my power to see to it they come home safely.’

‘Wow. You _really_ have changed.’

‘I’ll be back as soon as I can,’ Regina promised.

But Belle hadn’t forgotten the worried look she and Rumple had shared. One conversation wouldn’t turn that around. Belle followed Regina into the front of the shop.

‘Rumple,’ said Belle.

Rumple looked round at her.

‘David’s been asleep for over an hour. And I saw the look on your face.’

Rumple’s gaze dropped to the floor.

‘No secrets, you said,’ Belle reminded him quietly.

He nodded and returned his gaze unflinchingly. He joined her at the counter and covered her hand with his, squeezing it.

‘Cora cannot be allowed to enter Storybrooke, Belle. If you thought the Evil Queen was bad? Imagine an Evil Queen with no heart in her chest – a heart she herself ripped out because she believes love is weakness. No heart means no emotion. No inhibitions. No mercy. I know Cora, I taught Cora, I’ve been betrayed by Cora. We both have,’ Rumple glanced at Regina who was standing by the door, ‘and she won’t stop until she gets what she wants. And with the prince in no condition to tell us otherwise, we have to be prepared for the worst.’

‘What if David did get the message through?’

‘What if Cora gets through? It won’t matter if Charming got the message through or not.’

‘Gold,’ Regina called from the door.

They were running out of time.

‘Do you trust me, Belle?’

Belle swallowed. ‘I trust you’ll do what’s right. Good luck.’

‘We’ll need it,’ said Rumple.

 

Belle waited in the backroom with Henry and the still Sleeping Charming, trying not to second guess her decision to let Rumple and Regina go. She understood Henry’s unwavering faith in Emma and Snow White and a child’s optimism. In stories Good always defeats Evil, but real life told a different story. And she was slightly worried that Henry was so desperate to be a hero like everyone on his birth-mother’s side that he would run headfirst into a burning room. _Sometimes being a hero is knowing when NOT to run into the fire_. But then it wouldn’t be faith if they had evidence that they were alive and well.

The shop bell jingled and Ruby hurried in, followed by the dwarves.

‘Where are they?’ Ruby panted urgently. ‘Regina and Gold.’

‘What’s going on?’ asked Henry.

‘All the magic has been drained from the mines.’

‘They stole it?’

‘They snuck in after our shift and took everything,’ said Leroy angrily. ‘Nobody steals from a dwarf!’

‘Except the Queen,’ said Doc.

‘And Rumplestiltskin,’ said Happy.

Belle didn’t know which was worse; that she had allowed Rumple and Regina to take the magic or Henry’s crestfallen face.

‘If they’re not helping Emma and Mary Margaret, that… that means my mom lied to me.’

‘I’m sorry, Henry,’ said Ruby.

Henry jumped up. ‘We need to find her. We need to stop them. We need to help Emma and Mary Margaret.’

Henry and Ruby hurried out of the shop, leaving Belle with Charming and the six dwarves.

‘Belle,’ said Leroy, ‘I know you love Gold, but what if he kills Emma and Snow White? If he hasn’t stolen our magic for his own purposes. You trust this man?’

‘I absolutely trust him,’ said Belle.

‘He’s not some power hungry monster who doesn’t care who gets hurt, then?’

Given the evidence Ruby and the dwarves were presented Belle could understand their mistrust. But Belle remembered the man who just wanted to be reunited with his son, who gave her two libraries, her freedom, who saved her people, who gave Henry the dream-amulet for nothing, and whose only motivation for stealing their magic was stopping someone more dangerous coming to Storybrooke.

When you believe in someone you don’t need proof.

‘I absolutely trust him,’ said Belle stubbornly.

‘All right,’ said Leroy reluctantly. ‘But if Snow and Emma die…’

Leroy left the threat hanging.

 

The shop bell rang out front and Mary Margaret burst through the curtain. ‘David!’

The dwarves rose as one to make room as Snow White threw herself on her sleeping husband. Emma and Henry came in a second later, followed by Regina. Snow leaned down and kissed Charming. A pulse of rainbow light shuddered out and swept over them all like a warm breeze. With a gasp Charming awoke. He saw Snow leaning over him and smiled.

‘You did it,’ he said, slightly groggily.

‘Did you ever doubt I would?’ said Snow.

‘No.’

Charming sat up and kissed his wife. Everyone was smiling at them, except Regina, who was staring fixedly at the wall, no doubt thinking of her lost love.

‘Though the burning red room did give me a pause,’ Charming added cheekily.

Rumple, who had been watching the reunion on the other side of the curtain, smiled and moved away. Belle joined him in the front where he was replacing a fairy wand on its stand.

‘They did it,’ said Belle happily.

‘So it would seem,’ Rumple agreed. ‘It appears you and young Henry were right.’

‘I’m proud of you. You and Regina did something amazing today.’

‘Not accidentally killing the Saviour and the People’s Princess? Quite an achievement indeed.’

‘That labels don’t define you. You two may have been the Evil Queen and the Dark One back in our land, enemies – even to each other. But here? You worked together with David to bring his family home. And together you protected us from a worse threat.’

‘I don’t think one good deed suddenly makes me and Regina members of the Heroes Club.’

‘As I said, the heroes and villains labels don’t mean anything. It’s the choices we make that matter. And this is not your first ever good deed, Rumple.’

At that moment Emma appeared. ‘We need to talk.’

She was looking directly at Rumple, so Belle made herself scarce.

‘Yes. I believe apologies are in order,’ said Rumple.

‘No. No apology necessary. I can understand why you wanted to keep Cora out of here.’

‘Just remind me never to bet against you in the future, Miss Swan.’

Belle smiled to herself.

In the backroom Snow White, Charming and Henry were wrapped in a group hug, Regina watching forlornly from the other side of them room. Like they’d forgotten she was there. Especially as, from the sounds of it, she had almost died to prove herself to her son.

Belle came over to her. Regina jumped a little at her approach, as if expecting retribution.

‘I’m glad you’re okay,’ said Belle.

‘What?’ Regina clearly hadn’t expected her to be concerned for her well-being.

‘I’m glad you’re okay.’

‘You don’t have to be nice to me.’

‘No, I mean it. Henry would have been devastated to lose a mother.’

Regina was taken aback by Belle’s sincerity. ‘Listen, Belle… I’m… I’m sorry for what I did to you. For locking you up – twice. For torturing you. For causing you and Rumplestiltskin unhappiness.’

Belle hesitated. ‘I accept your apology.’

‘But you don’t forgive me.’

‘Let’s just see how things go.’

As Rumple said, one good deed didn’t erase all the evil they’d done. But it was a start.

Henry came over to his mother. ‘I was right. You really have changed,’ he said proudly. He hugged Regina. ‘Thank you.’

Regina smiled and hugged her son tightly.

Belle smiled at them. She felt Rumple appear beside her and turned to hug him, Rumple wrapping his arm around her.

‘How about dinner at Granny’s? On me,’ Ruby declared happily.

‘As long as it’s not chimera, I’m in,’ said Emma. ‘Hey, kid, you hungry?’ she called to Henry.

‘Yeah,’ said Henry.

He pulled out of Regina’s embrace, his hand slipping out of hers and joined Emma.

‘Come on, Belle,’ said Ruby.

She took Belle’s hand, tugging her out of Rumple’s arms. Everyone filed out of the room leaving Rumple and Regina standing there alone. Regina looked crushed, tears in her eyes, and Rumple seemed to be trying hard not to look upset.

‘Congratulations,’ said Rumple softly. ‘You just reunited mother and son. Maybe one day they’ll even invite you for dinner.’

He wasn’t even snarky about it. They may have been left out, but if things kept going well; Regina was more likely to be invited to a social event with the Charming’s than Rumple, who had helped them out so much.

Nothing ever changes.

Suddenly Belle came running back into the room. ‘You two, come on! Everyone’s waiting.’

Rumple and Regina looked up surprised.

Then Henry came in. ‘Mom? Aren’t you and Mr Gold coming to Granny’s?’

They were invited? Regina was too overwhelmed to speak, and Rumple seemed to be trying to work out if he had stumbled into _the X Files_.

‘I… I don’t believe your mother invited us, Henry,’ said Rumple.

‘Don’t be silly, of course you’re invited,’ said Emma, sticking her head in. ‘You two got us home. You’re the reason we’re even having this party. Now come on, let’s go! I’m starving!’

Belle, Emma and Henry filed out again, this time leaving Rumple and Regina stunned and affected by the invitation. And that they were actually wanted.

 

Emma, Henry, Snow and Charming walked down the street, Belle and Ruby arm in arm just behind, the six dwarves following like a guard of honour. Rumple and Regina walked way behind the happy group, still a little uncertain. The two old frenemies, teacher and student, looked at each other and smiled. Perhaps things _were_ looking up for them?

They hurried to catch up with the others. Hearing their approach the dwarves parted. Belle and Ruby held out their arms, inviting Rumple to walk between them and Henry held out his free hand to Regina, who took it.

There they were: Henry with his mothers, Snow White and her Prince Charming alongside their daughter, Rumplestiltskin with a beautiful woman on each arm (though he only had eyes for Belle) and the six dwarves bringing up the rear. United.

None of them saw the pirate ship emerge out of the fog…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whatever our feelings towards Regina, you can’t deny the heartbreak of her proving herself to Henry and getting nothing but a ‘thanks, see you later.’ Not to mention only getting invited for Henry’s sake and because Archie thought it was a good idea. And then (though she was working with Cora by this point) still being treated as if Emma is the only mother in Henry’s life.
> 
> And Rumple didn’t get invited at all. And he too would later get shot down, proving himself a hero, risking his life, only to be told that it didn’t change anything.
> 
> I've been toying with the Sweet Dreams sleeping curse as a post-6A idea. But until I decide whether or not to do it, I thought I would give it a cameo appearance.
> 
> I hope I evened Belle out well past the hamburger date. This must be how A&E felt trying desperately to write Hook into a scene, except Belle is relevant to the story. It's Beauty and the Beast, for god sake!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewrite of present day events of The Cricket Game and The Outsider.
> 
> Slight POV divergent towards the climax
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. This is for fun and not for profit.

‘Are you sure you can’t come to the party?’ Belle pleased, leaning against the island in Rumple’s kitchen.

‘I’m confused. Didn’t we already have a celebration in honour of Snow White and Emma Swan’s return?’ said Rumple.

‘Yes, but this is a proper one, with a banner, cakes and food.’

Rumple smiled, leaning on the other side of the island. ‘Belle, I can’t think of a better way to spend an evening then with you. But I need to get this potion finished. This is the most crucial stage. If I get this wrong I’ll have to start all over again. And I kinda like these hairs _on_ your head.’

He reached out a hand and stroked her hair.

‘Okay,’ said Belle. ‘I understand.’

‘Forgive me?’

‘Of course.’

A sharp _ding_ sound off behind him. Rumple pulled on his oven gloves and opened the oven door. ‘Please send my apologies and accept these as my contribution to this happy event.’

Rumple set the tray of two steaming hot pies down on the island. Belle leaned in and sniffed.

‘Mmm,’ said Belle appreciatively. ‘Meat pie. So, you’re more than a wizard at potions?’

‘Much more.’

Ten minutes later Belle headed to Granny’s carrying a tupperware of Rumple’s homemade meat pie. It had always been his favourite meal as a boy. He would help the Spinster’s who raised him bake them, the hovel filled with such a wonderful smell. And after they had cooled they would always let him have the first bite. As the food warmed his belly, he said that for that one moment he forgot who he really was: a boy who wasn’t wanted by his papa.

It was a shame Rumple couldn’t come, but his son had to come first and he had made the effort of cooking for the occasion. Belle whipped out her phone and sent Rumple a text:

_I’ll be at the shop at noon tomorrow. Get ready for a picnic. Much love, Belle <333_

A second later she got a reply that made her smile all the way to Granny’s:

_Tomorrow can’t come soon enough. I can’t wait to see you. Love you, R xxx_

*

‘Mary Margaret and I – we have a saying… that we will always find each other. And while I believe that with all my heart, I’d like you to raise your glasses and join me when I say: here’s to not having to looking for a while!’

Everyone laughed at Charming’s speech.

Charming raised his glasses. ‘To Mary Margaret and Emma!’

The diner cheered and clinked their glasses. The door opened and a hush descended as Regina stuck her head in, carrying a casserole dish.

‘Sorry I’m late!’ she whispered, smiling.

‘What is she doing here?’ asked Leroy as he raised a knife.

‘I invited her,’ said Emma.

Belle watched as her parents took Emma aside to voice their concerns about inviting Regina. Would they have reacted like this if Rumple had decided to come? ‘Emma, she tried to kill us – yesterday!’ her mother argued. Belle glanced at Regina who was sitting with Henry as she sliced the lasagne she brought. Henry at least was glad his mother had come.

Regina offered a piece to Leroy who asked, ‘What’s the secret ingredient? Poison?’

‘Red pepper flakes,’ said Regina irritably. ‘Gives it some kick.’

Leroy sniffed it suspiciously, but took it.

The party continued and despite reservations they did dig into Regina’s lasagne as well as Rumple’s meat pies. But before long, as things began to wind down, Regina was left alone in her booth, once again the pariah. Belle came over to her with a slice of pie.

‘You have got to try this,’ said Belle, setting the plate in front of her.

‘The Dark One cooks? Wonders will never cease. What’s his secret ingredient?’

‘Love. Everyone else has sampled the Dark One’s pie and the Evil Queen’s lasagne and we all remain hale and hearty, so I think it’s safe to say that neither you nor Rumple have poisoned us.’

Regina took a forkful and chewed. ‘I should’ve taken a leaf out of Rumple’s book. No one wants me here.’

‘Henry does,’ Belle reminded her. ‘Don’t be discouraged. Just give them a chance to see what Henry sees and they’ll start to see you as Regina again.’

‘Were you always this optimistic?’

‘If you don’t have hope, what else is there?’

Regina put down her folk. ‘I think I’ll call it a night. My compliments to Chef Gold.’

‘Goodnight.’

Regina didn’t respond but pulled on her coat and left. Emma followed her immediately. At least Emma was trying to support Regina.

 

At twelve o’clock the next day Belle entered Rumple’s shop with a picnic basket in hand. Rumple looked up and smiled at the sight of her. He came around the counter to kiss her. She set the basket on the counter and took off her coat. Rumple flipped open the lid to see what she had brought: sandwiches, cake from the party and a thermos of tea.

‘Oh, well this looks delicious,’ Rumple praised. ‘Thank you very much, Belle.’

Belle smiled and stared to unpack the picnic. But suddenly their picnic was interrupted by the shop bell jingling and a marching procession – Emma followed by the Charmings.

They had got to start locking that door.

‘Ah,’ said Rumple, equally displeased by the interruption, but stepped out from behind the counter. ‘Nothing warms the heart more than a family reunited. You have your mother’s chin, Miss Swan.’

‘We know you killed him,’ said Emma, glaring at Rumple.

‘And your father’s tact,’ said Rumple, glancing at Charming.

‘Someone’s dead?’ asked Belle.

‘Dr Hopper,’ said Emma.

Archie’s dead? But she only saw him last night. Who would want to kill one of the kindest people in this town?

‘Why on earth would you think I had anything to do with that?’ asked Rumple, genuinely bewildered by the accusation.

‘Because all the evidence points to Regina,’ said Emma angrily.

‘And she’s not possibly capable of doing something so vile?’ Belle interjected, moving to stand next to Rumple. She knew they were trying to give Regina a chance, as was she, but that didn’t mean they should point the blame at Rumple.

‘It’s a frame job,’ Emma told her as if stating the obvious.

‘It wouldn’t be the first time you used someone to try to hurt her,’ said Snow to Rumple.

Rumple smirked. ‘Nice to see your memory’s still intact, dearie. But this time, I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you. It wasn’t me.’

‘Why should we believe you?’ asked Charming, folding his arms, self-satisfactorily.

Rumple glared at him. ‘Because I can prove it. Ask the witness.’

‘No one was there,’ said Emma, as if she thought he was trying to wriggle out of it.

‘Well, that’s not strictly true now, is it?’

The Charmings glared blankly at him. But Belle understood.

A few minutes later Charming brought Pongo into the backroom. Rumple went over to pet him. ‘Hey, boy. Good boy. Good boy, good boy.’

Pongo wagged his tail happily and licked Rumple’s hand. The Charmings looked confused at seeing this side of Rumple and the fact that Pongo was enjoying being petted by the Dark One. But Belle was beaming at the two of them.

‘I, uh… I didn’t know you were such a dog person,’ said Belle amused.

‘Well…’ said Rumple, still petting the lovable Dalmatian, ‘a long time ago, in another life, I got to know a sheepdog or two.’

‘That’s fascinating,’ said Emma unimpressed. ‘But unless you speak dog, how is Pongo going to tell us anything?’

‘Through magic, of course. it won’t allow us to communicate, but it will allow us to… extract his memories.’

‘Extract?’ Charming repeated.

‘You don’t have to worry,’ said Rumple patiently. ‘He won’t feel a thing. And we’ll put everything back.’

‘Why should we trust you?’ said Emma. ‘Couldn’t you just as easily use magic to fool us?’

‘Because I’m not going to be the one using magic – you are.’

‘Me?’ said Emma taken aback. ‘How?’

‘You have it within you,’ said Rumple, limping over to the cabinet and opening it. ‘Told me so yourself.’ He turned to her mother. ‘You witnessed it, didn’t you?’

‘Emma, you don’t have to do this,’ Snow said to Emma.

‘If it tells us something about Archie’s death, then so be it.’

Rumple took out a dream catcher and held it up. ‘Do you know what this is?’

‘A dream catcher,’ answered Emma, her attention caught by it.

‘Well… It’s capable of catching so much more.’

Rumple slowly ran the dream catcher along Pongo’s back, which caused it to start glowing bright yellow within the web.

‘What is that?’ said Belle.

‘Memories,’ said Rumple. He held it out to Emma. ‘Now, Miss Swan. You show us how.’

‘How? It’s just a jumble.’

‘Will it. Will it, and we shall all see.’

Emma took the dream catcher and held it out in front of her. Belle could see her concentrating on the jumbled swirl in the middle. It juddered slightly but nothing happened.

‘I can’t.’

‘Yes, you can,’ said Rumple.

Emma briefly closed her eyes, which caused the jumble to transform into an actual image. In the dream catcher, Pongo’s memories showed Regina entering Archie’s office.

‘Emma,’ Charming breathed. ‘You’re doing it.’

But Emma was focused on the image of Regina; the woman she had believed was being set up by the Dark One. As the memory continued they saw Regina grab Archie’s neck, choking him. Snow turned away horrified. Belle’s hand flew to her mouth. Rumple looked grim. Having seen enough, Emma dropped the dream catcher and let it fall to the floor.

‘You were right all along,’ said Emma shakily to her parents.

‘I’m so sorry, Emma,’ said Charming.

Without offering any apology to Rumple, the Charming’s and Emma left to confront the Evil Queen.

Belle sat down on the cot, shaken by what she had seen. Pongo trotted over to her and rested his head on her knees. Belle stroked his head. ‘This doesn’t make sense. Why would Regina do something like this now? It’s not like before. When she was the Evil Queen she had nothing to lose; now she has Henry. Why would she throw it all away just as Henry’s starting to trust her?’

Rumple stooped and picked up the dream catcher. The middle glowed yellow again and Archie’s smiling face appeared again.

‘No, Pongo. You can’t have this cake, its chocolate. It’s bad for dogs. Here. Have some Kanine Krunchies.’

Belle came over as Pongo ate the dog treats from Archie’s hand. ‘We couldn’t hear anything before.’

‘Miss Swan has only just realised she has magic,’ said Rumple. ‘The fact she was able to conjure an image at all is quite an achievement. But I agree. Something doesn’t ring true. Subtlety was never Regina’s strong suit, but this is sloppy. Perhaps Pongo can enlighten us.’

Pongo looked round at them, seeming to understand he was part of the conversation. Rumple replayed the memory when Regina came into the office.

_‘I know it’s late, but I was hoping we can talk.’_

_‘Sure. Come on in.’_

Archie let Regina in. Pongo began barking and growling at her.

_‘Hush, Pongo. You know Regina.’_

Rumple swiped his finger across the dream catcher and rewound it.

_‘You know Regina.’_

Pongo had never growled or barked at Regina before. Belle hurried to the rail of dresses and pulled a black dress out of its plastic casing. The same black dress Regina had worn when she cast the Dark Curse. She held it out to Pongo who sniffed it interestedly.

‘The Evil Queen at her most evil,’ said Rumple. ‘When she cursed an entire realm to twenty eight years of misery. And, had Emma not escaped, would have killed a new-born baby to stop it from being broken. And yet, Pongo here doesn’t seem quite as hostile to the murderer of his master. And dogs can sense evil.’

‘So then… it couldn’t have been Regina,’ said Belle. ‘Someone with magic was impersonating her! But who? Why?’

‘Someone who wants Regina broken,’ said Rumple.

‘Who would do that?’

‘Well…’ Rumple took another dress off the rail. ‘Taking a dress totally at random.’ He held out the red dress to Pongo. This time, Pongo barked loudly, snarling at the Queen of Hearts dress.

‘Cora…’ said Belle. ‘But they stopped her. The portal closed. How did she get to this world?’

‘Considering how long I’ve been trying to get here, I’d like to know that myself.’

‘We’ve got to tell the others. Come on, Pongo.’

They left the shop. Neither Emma, Charming, Snow or Regina were answering their phones.

‘After this we should solve crimes,’ said Belle.

‘All three of us?’ asked Rumple, glancing at Pongo. ‘Pongo sniffs out the guilty would take the work out of it.’

‘You know I’m surprised. You helping Regina after… everything.’

‘Likewise. We have a complicated relationship. But when all’s said and done, the only one who gets to mess with Regina is _me_.’

‘I’m sure she’d be touched to hear that.’

‘Of course. I’m the only one who gets to mess with her; she’s the only one who gets to kill me.’

‘What a team! Are they still not answering?’

‘No.’ Rumple cancelled the unanswered call. ‘I do question the police system in this town. Perhaps you and I should take over. They keep bombarding us with their problems; we might as well get paid for it. If there’s ever another curse, I’ll make sure we’re in the Sheriff’s department.’

‘Thank you, Detective Gold.’

‘Mm,’ Rumple pulled a face at the name. ‘I’m not feeling it.’

‘Weaver?’

‘Better.’

‘What about me?’

‘Story?’

‘Detective Story? Oh, ha-ha. Hey! Story Weaver!’

‘Done!’

Even Pongo barked in approval.

They stopped dead as they saw Emma sitting on the bench with Henry at the bus stop. Henry, looking very upset, hugged Emma.

‘No…’ Belle breathed.

They were too late. Emma had broken the news to Henry that ‘Regina’ had killed Archie.

‘We have to tell them it wasn’t Regina.’

‘Oh Belle,’ Rumple was looking in the opposite direction. ‘I fear the damage is done.’

Belle looked. Regina was in her car, watching the scene unfold in her mirror, crying. In a cloud of smoke she vanished.

They returned to the shop, dejected.

‘But we can tell them we have proof,’ Belle insisted.

‘We have our word, not proof.’

‘Pongo…’

‘You try getting a Dalmatian to testify. It won’t hold up in court.’

‘Regina. We find her and tell her she was framed.’

‘Belle, that won’t matter to her. The Charmings suspected her from the beginning, just as it was easier for them to suspect me. There’s too much history there. They will always see her as the Evil Queen. And I’ll bet my estate they would’ve told Regina as such. Even if they do discover the truth, they’ll always be watching her; waiting for her to make a mistake, or for her past to catch up with her… just… waiting for us to screw up.’

Belle noted Rumple’s use of the word ‘us’. Yes, the Charming’s were quick to point the finger of blame at Rumple simply because he was the Dark One and when they had been proved wrong they hadn’t apologised for wrongly accusing him. Rumple was working hard to change, he was opening up to her more, but he was still holding back. Was this why?

‘Is that how you feel when you’re with me?’ Belle asked. ‘Afraid to make a mistake or open up completely because you think I’ll leave? Rumple, I love you.’

‘I know,’ said Rumple softly. ‘I don’t need a potion to prove it. But there are things in my past I’m not proud of. What if you get to know me and I’m not who you thought I was? What if once you know me… you won’t love me?’

‘But I already know you.’

‘Yes, but there’s a difference between knowing someone and _really_ knowing someone.’

‘Rumple, trust me. I know you. I’ve seen you at your best, I’ve seen you at your worst.’

‘You’ve seen almost all of me, in fact.’

Belle smiled.

‘You have a good heart, Belle. You’re a very forgiving person. But I’ve done things even you might find hard to forgive. The Dark One isn’t just the name of my curse.’

‘As long as you’re honest with me. I might not like everything I hear… but I’d rather hear it from you. And lesser, weaker men would have succumbed to the darkness long ago. You? You’ve lived with it for centuries and still have love in your heart. That makes you the bravest, strongest, most loving man I’ve ever known.’

‘I never thought about it like that.’

‘Maybe you should. And, as you say, dogs are the best judges of character, and Pongo loves you.’

As if to illustrate the point Pongo licked his hand. Rumple smiled and stooped to stroke him. ‘Maybe we should get a dog.’

‘What are we going to do about Cora?’ asked Belle.

‘For now she’ll want to keep her presence in this town a secret. Which means we need to be careful.’ He addressed Pongo, ‘I want you to look after Belle. Don’t let anything happen to her. You’re in charge, got it?’

Pongo barked once, wagging his tail.

‘Take these.’ Rumple handed Belle four white crystals. ‘Put this around your bed. It will produce a force field to protect you while you sleep.’

‘Thank you.’ Pongo nudged her with his nose. ‘What does Cora want?’

‘Everyone on their knees at her feet.’

_Archibald Hopper – Friend and Conscience_

Belle stood with Ruby dressed in black as the residents of Storybrooke gathered around the casket to pay their last respects to Archie. Snow White gave his eulogy.

‘Some of us knew him as Archie. Others as Jiminy. But we all knew him as a true friend. And though he may be gone, he will always live on inside of us. Reminding us to be our best selves, to do the right thing, to always fight for what we believe in. So, we shouldn’t think of today as goodbye, just as a way of saying… Archie, we’ll be listening.’

Snow walked up to the tombstone and laid Archie’s umbrella against it.

There had been no word from Regina. She had gone underground. Belle had tried to tell her in her messages that she and Rumple knew the truth, but whether Regina heard any of them or just deleted them she didn’t know. It wouldn’t have made a difference. Regina believed they saw her as the Evil Queen and always will. Whatever follows, Belle knew they were going to pay the price.

She entered Rumple’s shop. ‘Hey.’ Rumple, who was standing behind the counter, lit up when she came in. ‘What, uh… what’s wrong what you couldn’t tell me on the phone?’

‘I did it,’ said Rumple. ‘I can leave.’

Belle’s puzzlement turned to excitement. ‘You can cross the town line?’

‘Indeed I can.’ Rumple took out the potion from his case. ‘When I pour this potion onto the object I hold most dear, that object becomes a talisman, and allows me to cross the town line and still remember who I am.’

‘And who you’re looking for.’

‘My boy.’

They smiled at each other. Belle squeezed his hand. ‘What, um… what will you enchant/’

‘Well…’

Rumple revealed a hidden safe behind a painting. He unlocked the safe and pulled out a well-worn shawl. ‘This shawl… is all I have left of my Baelfire.’

‘I don’t suppose I could…’ Belle hesitated, ‘…come with you?’

Rumple looked up at her.

‘I won’t be affected by the town line. I just… thought I could help.’

‘Oh, I… I-I truly wish you could, but… Belle, I want you to meet Bae. I just… I don’t know how he’s going to react when he sees me and I don’t want the first time you two meet is us screaming at each other.’

Belle nodded in understanding. ‘Okay.’

‘No, but thanks,’ said Rumple, assuring her he appreciated her offer. He put the shawl back in the safe and swung the portrait shut. ‘Hey. This is my journey, Belle. This is my journey. I’m afraid it’s something I have to do alone.’

They hugged.

‘I know,’ said Belle.

‘Anyway. Enough about me. What about you? When can we expect the grand opening of your library?’

‘In the next few days. I just hope people will want to come.’

‘Of course they will. Everyone in this town loves you. Storybrooke couldn’t ask for a better librarian.’

‘I’ve never run a library before.’

‘Do you love books?’

‘Yes.’

‘You’re perfect!’

‘Thank you. You won’t leave without telling me, will you?’

‘Never. I just need to sort out a few things here.’

‘Good. I’ll see you later.’

 

Belle smiled all the way to her library. After all these years Rumple was finally going to find his son. _Storybrooke Free Public Library Opening Soon_. Leroy had put up the banner yesterday. She entered the library, grabbed a handful of books from the cart by the circulation desk and started filing them away.

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looking round saw a man in the shadows, dressed in black leathers leaning against one of the shelves reading.

‘Uh, sorry. The library’s not open yet.’

‘Oh.’ The man grinned nastily at her and put the book away revealing a silver hook for a hand. ‘I’m not here for the books, love.’

It was Hook. Emma and Snow had met him in the Enchanted Forest when they battled Cora. So Cora was definitely here. But Belle had met him before too.

‘You. You’re the one who broke into my cell at the Queen’s palace.’

Hook leered at her. Belle ran for the door but Hook cut her off. They stood with the cart between them.

‘You wanted to kill Rumplestiltskin.’

‘Oh, I still do,’ Hook assured her. ‘But, right now, I’d settle for you.’

Belle pushed the cart of books on top of Hook and ran for the lift. As the mechanisms clicked to open the door Hook struggled out of the pile of books and dashed towards her, hook raised. Belle dived inside and the doors shut in his face. She could hear Hook banging on the door. She was trapped. She whipped out her phone and called Rumple.

‘Hey, Belle,’ Rumple answered, surprised and happy to hear from her.

Belle spoke fast, ‘Rumple, I’m-I’m in the elevator. There’s a man here. He broke in. he wants to kill me.’

‘Belle?’ The line crackled, the confined space affecting the signal, but Rumple’s concerned voice meant he at least heard that she wa sin trouble. ‘You’re – you’re breaking up. Who’s in the library?’

‘Pirate –’

‘Belle?’

‘– a hand. Missing a hand –’

‘Belle?’

‘Hello?’

The line cut out and Belle hung up the phone.

The banging eventually ceased but she didn’t dare open the doors. Hook could just have simply decided that banging was ineffective. Suddenly the banging started again. then she heard the metallic clicks as the doors unlocked and slid apart revealing –

‘Belle.’ It was Rumple, looking relived to find her safe. ‘It’s okay.’

Belle ran into his arms.

‘It’s okay. It’s okay,’ said Rumple soothingly. ‘Here.’

He placed his jacket over her shoulders. Belle searched around her looking for Hook.

‘Where – where is he?’ she asked shakily.

‘I don’t know. But you’ve nothing to fear. I’m here now.’

Belle hugged him again.

‘Come on.’

Rumple led her outside, keeping one hand on her back as they walked along main street.

‘Where are we going?’ Belle asked.

‘The shop,’ said Rumple shortly.

‘Why?’

‘Well, let’s just say, there are many wonderful things in there, that I could use to make sure that pirate never comes near you ever again.’

‘Rumple, no. We – we need to report this to the Sheriff. They’ll take care of him.’

Rumple pulled a face, both at how the Sheriffs had taken care of Cora and being asked not to take action against a man who had just threatened someone he loved.

‘You’re so close to finding your son. Please. Please, don’t let your hatred for this man get in the way of that.’

‘But he tried to harm you,’ Rumple insisted.

‘But why?’ Belle asked. ‘What happened between you two?’

‘Belle,’ Rumple sighed. ‘This is really not your concern.’

‘He attacked me. It most definitely _is_ my concern,’ Belle argued, moving to stand in front of him to make him stop walking. If Hook wanted to get revenge on Rumple through her she damn well had a right to know. She was sick of being a pawn.

Rumple nodded. He owed her an explanation. ‘Many years ago, I was married to a woman named Milah. Until Hook crossed our paths.’

‘She was Baelfire’s mother?’

‘Yeah. And because of that marauding cur, he grew up without her. He took my wife – he took Bae’s mother – so I took his hand,’ Rumple finished with snarl, raising his own hand.

They walked the last few feet to the shop. But Belle knew there was more to the story. Regina vowed revenge on Snow White for the death of her lover. Hook wouldn’t vow death on Rumplestiltskin just for the loss of a hand. ‘That’s why he came after me. But what about her. What – what did he do?’

Rumple seemed to be struggling to find the words or ways not to answer that question. Belle took the hand that was holding the shop keys in both her own. ‘Rumple, you can… you can tell me anything.’

Rumple smiled, nodding. ‘She died. That’s all that matters.’

That was the only answer he was prepared to give her. They entered the shop. Inside, they saw that the shop had been ransacked. Broken glass cabinets, artefacts strewn everywhere.

‘What happened here?’

‘Hook,’ Rumple growled, glass crunching underfoot as he limped to the counter. ‘This is why he attacked you.’

‘To get you out of the store,’ Belle reasoned. ‘What did he want?’

Rumple checked the open door of the safe and found it empty. He turned away and covered his mouth, looking as if he might be sick. Belle saw to her horror that Bae’s shawl was gone and so was any hope of Rumple finding him.

‘Rumple…’

Belle had no idea what to say but she never got the chance. Rumple seized his cane and began smashing everything within reach, including the model of a pirate ship, which he beat repeatedly.

‘Rumple! Rumple! Stop it!’ Belle grabbed his arm and tried to sooth him as he took several deep breaths. ‘Stop, please.’

Rumple nodded. ‘No, you’re right.’

‘Hey…’

But Rumple wasn’t finished. ‘I need to retrieve what’s mine.’

He stalked towards the exit. Belle hurried to stop him, talking his hand to keep him anchored. ‘Let me – let me help you.’

‘This is my fight!’

‘And this is my fault! If Hook had never attacked me, you never would have left the shop.’

‘How do you propose that we get the shawl back?’ Rumple demanded. ‘Have you duelled with a pirate before? How _exactly_ are you going to help me?’

‘Well, I’m not just going to sit here and do nothing!’ Belle shouted.

‘No. You’re going to go back to the library, lock the door, and wait for me to dispense with this problem!’

‘And if I don’t?’ Belle folded her arms. ‘You’ll – you’ll cast some spell that gives me no choice?’

‘ _No_.’ Rumple looked horrified and the very thought of doing something so awful to Belle. ‘I trust you’ll do as I wish, as you trust me to be a better man. Belle, please,’ Rumple pleaded. ‘Hook has maybe cost me the chance of finding my son. I don’t want to lose you too.’

His voice shook so badly on the last sentence that Belle couldn’t think of a single retort. Rumple looked so desperate and scared. Scared of losing his son for good and terrified of losing her.

‘Here, look.’ Rumple limped to a drawer and pulled out a gun, handing it to Belle. ‘I want you to take this. Just in case Hook is stupid enough to come after you again. point this, pull this trigger, and the gun’ll do the rest for you. All right? All right?!’

‘Yes, yes.’

Rumple tried to leave again, but Belle stopped him at the door.

‘W-wait. Promise me that you going after Hook is just about getting the shawl back.’

Rumple opened his mouth, but didn’t respond, and, looking pained, abruptly left the shop. He didn’t promise that he wouldn’t look for revenge, because he couldn’t promise.

 

Belle set about cleaning up the mess of books in the library if only to distract herself. She only hoped that Rumple found the shawl before he found Hook. Rumple had warned her just yesterday about his past coming back to haunt him, about revealing things that he wasn’t proud of that he feared would change how Belle would look at him. Neither of them had anticipated he would be confronted with it so soon. Regina and Cora, Rumple and Hook – Fate had a grim sense of humour.

Amongst the pile of books, Belle found a knotted piece of rope. Curious, she found a book titled ‘A Nautical Guide’, clicked though the pages until she landed on a page on ship knots. She laid the piece of knot on the page and saw that it was called ‘the Monkey Fist’.

‘Hook came here on his ship,’ she whispered.

Belle made her way down to the docks to search for Hook’s ship, Rumple’s gun in hand. But it was deserted. No massive ship amongst the small boats.

‘Where is it?’ Belle muttered.

Looking up she noticed several seagulls perched on a seemingly invisible object. She grabbed a handful of feed from a nearby container and threw it at the base of the ‘ship’. The feed revealed the stairway leading onto the boat.

‘Found you.’

Belle carefully walked up the stairs until she crossed the invisible barrier, and was able to see the ship for herself. She went below decks, searching the shadows in case Hook was lying in wait.

‘Hello?’ a voice called from below.

‘H-hello?’ said Belle.

‘Down here!’

Belle opened the grate and found to her great shock Archie tied up inside!

‘Belle!’ said Archie in relief. ‘Oh, thank God!’

‘Archie!’ Belle gasped. ‘You’re – you – you’re okay!’

‘Yes, I-I-I am. Can you, uh…’

Archie held up his bind hands. Belle grabbed a nearby sword and cut Archie’s ropes. He untied his legs himself and climbed out.

‘Go,’ Belle urged him, pushing him towards the stairs. ‘Find Rumple. Tell him I’m here. Bring him back to the ship. And tell the Sheriff.’

‘Wait. You’re not coming with me?’

They heard a creaking noise from above them.

‘Go. Go!’ Belle pushed Archie up the stairs. ‘Go, go! There’s no time to argue.’

Archie hurried up the stairs, leaving Belle behind.

Belle continued to search for the shawl. Putting the gun on the counter and lifted a locked box off the shelf. There was no key. She eventually found it on one of the shelves and opened the box. But all that was inside were a few pieces of gold, including a gold bell.

‘Looking for this?’

Hook stood behind her, holding the shawl.

Belle pointed at it. ‘That doesn’t belong to you.’

‘Oh, it does now.’

They both glanced towards the gun. Belle made to grab it, but Hook was faster.

‘Oh… My dear Belle,’ said Hook, examining the gun, ‘you should’ve stayed with your books. Real life can get so… messy.’

He pointed the gun at Belle’s head. But if he was expecting her to beg he was wrong.

‘I’m not afraid of you, and I’m not leaving without that,’ said Belle stubbornly.

Hook placed the shawl on the counter. ‘Well, I admire your loyalty. But helping Rumplestiltskin? I’m afraid you’re fighting a lost cause.’

‘He needs that shawl to find his son.’

‘And what makes you think his son wants to be found? Mm? I’m doing that boy a favour.’

‘Have you not hurt Rumple enough?’

‘Oh.’ Hook held up his hook. ‘I’ve hurt him?’

‘You stole his wife.’

‘Tell me something, love.’ Hook moved so close to her Belle could smell the rum on his breath. ‘If a woman comes to you and begs you to take her away, is that theft?’

‘Why would she leave him?’

‘Because he was a coward. And because she loved me. I should have burned this the moment I acquired it.’

‘Why didn’t you?’ Belle asked curiously.

‘Because she made it,’ said Hook quietly.

So he did have the glimmer of a spark of a pinprick of a soul.

‘I’m sorry she died,’ said Belle, ‘but vengeance? Vengeance won’t bring her back.’

‘Died?’ Hook scoffed, the pirate switch flicked back on. ‘Like it was some kind of accident? I that what he told you?’

‘He… well, he – he didn’t say.’

‘No, of course not. Of course he’d leave out the most important detail of her passing.’

‘And… what would that be?’

‘He killed her. He ripped out her heart, and he crushed it right in front of me.’

‘No…’

‘Oh yes.’

‘No!’

‘Yes!’ Hook lifted Belle’s chin with the gun. ‘He will do anything – anything – to hold on to his power. Why do you think anyone who’s ever gotten close to him, has either run away, or been killed? Now, what makes you think you’re any different? Tell me something, darling. Why would you want to fight for a man like that?’

Because Belle wasn’t fighting for the man who did all those things before she was even born. She was fighting for the man that even with all that darkness inside of him would spare the life of a thief trying to save his pregnant wife, who would give her a library, who would trade a gauntlet that could reveal his greatest weakness to save her, who would give her a rose, who would let her go time and time again, who valued her opinion, who would never let anything happen to her, who gave Henry the healing amulet and healed him for free, who would help prove Regina’s innocence in spite of their history. The man who had tortured himself for three hundred years for letting his son go and had dedicated his entire life to fix that mistake.

That was the man she was fighting for.

‘Because I still see good in him. Because I believe he’s changed. Because his heart? Is true. And yours? Yours is rotten.’

Belle slammed the oar hat was hanging from the ceiling into Hook’s head. He stumbled backwards and fell into the storage area where Archie was held. Belle grabbed the shawl and the sword and ran up the stairs.

She made it above deck, but her way to the exit was cut off as Hook suddenly appeared.

‘How the hell did you…’

‘Oh, I know this ship like the back of my…’ He held up his hook. ‘Well, you know.’

Belle pointed the sword at him.

Hook chuckled patronisingly. ‘Oh, love. That’s cute, but I don’t think you know what you’re doing.’

The smile was wiped from his face as Belle swung the sword, just managing to raise his own sword to parry the blow.

‘You should stop underestimating me,’ said Belle.

They started to duel, swords clanging in the air.

‘Not bad, for a woman,’ grunted Hook.

‘I had lessons from the very best.’

Belle’s mother Collette was an excellent swordswoman; she taught her well. Rumple had furthered her tutoring after her abductions by the Queens of Darkness, as had war hero Mulan. Now she was the equal of any man.

‘Well, you show much more zeal than the Crocodile, when I took Milah. Didn’t even pick up the sword. Tell me, what type of sad little man is too afraid to fight for his own wife?’

‘A man who chooses his child over his pride? A good father! A good man!’

Belle dodged Hook’s sword and swung her own, cutting him across the cheek. Hook touched his cheek and stared at the blood on his fingers as if he had never seen his own blood before. Belle was shocked that she had drawn blood.

‘Oh…’ said Hook dangerously, smiling. ‘ _Now_ I can say: I – was – pro – voked!’

He punctuated every syllable with a clang of his sword before finally knocking Belle’s sword out of her hand and it landed in the water. She was quite defenceless now.

‘Well, I have to hand it to you, Belle. You lasted a lot longer than I expected. If the Crocodile had fought me with such vigour back in the day, I might have given him his wife back. Soiled, but returned.’

‘You two deserved each other,’ said Belle with contempt for both of them.

‘Aye, that we did. So I suggest you give hat back to me now.’

‘Or what?’ Rumple had arrived.

‘Ah,’ said Hook, deserving his foe for the first time in centuries. ‘You look different in this world, Crocodile. Like the coward I met so long ago – limp, and all.’

‘And yet,’ Rumple stepped aboard, ‘you still can’t kill me.’

‘Let’s have it, Dark One. What magic are you going to hide behind today?’

‘Oh no. Not magic.’

Rumple hit Hook upside the head with his cane, causing him to fall back. Rumple then furiously began beating Hook with his cane.

‘Rumple!’ Belle shouted, moving forwards. ‘Hey, let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go.’

‘No, not yet, Belle,’ Rumple growled, not looking up as he hit Hook again.

‘This –’ Belle held up the shawl. ‘This is what you came for. This is what’s going to get you back to Bae.’

Rumple stared at his son’s shawl, momentarily distracted, until the idiot pirate opened his mouth. ‘Ah, you’re wasting your breath, love. He can’t resist. He has to prove that he’s not a coward.’

Coward, coward, coward, coward – that word that had haunted Rumple his whole life.

‘You may want to turn away, Belle. This isn’t going to be pretty.’

Rumple resumed his beating of the pirate who stole his wife, stole Bae’s shawl that would reunite him with his son and had threatened Belle. It seemed to go on forever, Rumple caught in a blind rage as he beat the shit out of the squealing pirate. Maybe it was better for him to get it out of his system.

‘Do it!’ a bloody Hook shouted finally. ‘Do it! Kill me!’

He was laughing. Belle didn’t like it. He had just endured a beating and he was laughing, goading an enraged Rumple.

‘He has to show you how powerful he is.’

Hook had worked Rumple up into a Dark One rage, if Rumple killed him now, he would be lost to the darkness. Possibly for good.

‘No, Rumple,’ Belle said, forcing him to look at her. ‘This – this is what he wants. To destroy every bit of good in you.’

Rumple stared at her.

‘Rip my heart out,’ Hook demanded, practically pulling his coat away to give Rumple better access. ‘Kill me like you did Milah, and I’ll finally be reunited with her.’

Hook had crossed the line – again. rumple dropped his cane and gestured at Hook as id highlighting to Belle that the man was asking to be put out of his misery.

‘He has to die, Belle!’

Rumple lunged for Hook’s throat.

‘No! No, he doesn’t!’ Belle shouted.

Rumple’s hand was splayed on Hook’s hairy chest, itching to rip his rotten heart out.

‘There’s still good in you,’ said Belle softly. ‘I see it. I’ve always see it. Please. What would Rumple do?’ She swallowed. ‘What would Baelfire’s papa do?’

If she only knew what was going through Rumple’s head at her words…

_Well, I had him. He was half asleep, I had the knife at his throat, and then it came to me in a flash. I though, if I kill to save my son, then my son grows up with a murderer, a monster as a father. Well, I couldn’t do that._

He was already a murderer and a monster, but if he killed Hook, how can he say that he was not that man anymore when he found his son again?

Belle could see in Rumple’s face his two fundamental instincts doing battle as he looked from Belle to Hook and back again, the rage fading.

Rumple removed his hand from Hook’s chest and Belle breathed a sigh of relief. But Rumple wasn’t finished.

‘You take your little ship, and said until you fall off the edge of the world. I never want to see you _again_.’ Rumple slapped Hook lightly across the face. Hook glared at him. Rumple picked up his cane and got to his feet, holding out his hand to Belle. ‘Let’s go.’

Belle took his hand and pulled him away from Hook. But at the stairs Belle stopped. No, Hook didn’t get off that lightly. He did just try to kill her – twice. Belle let go of Rumple’s hand and walked back to Hook as he struggled to his feet. He barely straightened up before Belle slapped him in the face.

‘Feel better now?’ asked Hook.

Belle shook her head. ‘No.’

She punched him in the jaw and Hook fell against the mast and spat out one of his teeth. Rumple looked stunned and impressed.

‘I just saved your life,’ Belle hissed at Hook. ‘Don’t you ever betray me. I can’t protect you.’

‘Everyone all right?’ Charming had arrived, handcuffs ready.

‘There’s a sort of greatness to your lateness,’ said Rumple.

‘How’s Archie?’ asked Belle.

‘He’ll live. You two go, I got this.’

As Charming cuffed Hook, Belle returned to Rumple’s side as they left the Jolly Roger together. Once the Cadillac had driven away, Charming pushed Hook against the mast…

And kissed him.

Under normal circumstances Hook would’ve thrown him off, instead, when they broke apart, he grinned at Charming. ‘What took you so long?’

‘Well, you were doing just fine on your own,’ purred Charming. ‘Bested by the Dark One _and_ his maid.’

‘So are you going to let me out of these cuffs or do you have something more fun in mind? I have a crocodile to skin. And a maid to put in her place.’

Charming smiled. ‘Of course.’ he waved his hand and the handcuffs magically fell off. ‘Call me a heartless romantic.’ In a cloud of purple smoke Cora appeared where Charming stood. ‘But I do enjoy the sweetness of revenge.’

 

Rumple and Belle drove towards the town line. Rumple hadn’t uttered a single word since they left the docks. Belle sat in the passenger seat massaging her bruised hand. Then Rumple pulled the car over in front of the town boundary and switched off the engine.

‘You okay?’ asked Belle.

‘I should be asking you that,’ said Rumple, glancing at her anxiously. ‘About Milah…’

‘Rumple, you don’t have to –’

‘Yes, I do. You were almost killed because of what I did. I owe you that.’ Rumple sighed. ‘I had just made a deal for a magic bean that would take me to Bae when Hook crossed my path. I challenged him to the deal I refused as a mortal man. By the sword I won. I wanted Hook to know how it felt to have your wife being stolen from you, and feeling powerless to stop it. I was going to crush his heart. Then Milah appeared. Alive. After all these years. But she was only there to save her pirate lover. She was never abducted, but left willingly, allowing me to be humiliated rather than face me herself. She had also taken the magic bean as leverage. I could’ve let them go, taken the bean and be on my way. But I wanted to know… I needed to know… How could she leave Bae? I knew she hated me, but how could she abandon our son? She said she let her misery cloud her judgement.’

‘Why was she so miserable?’

‘Because she never loved me. In five words she shattered the entire illusion of our marriage, of our relationship. And she made Bae suffer because of her hatred of me. I was so angry… so I ripped her heart out, and crushed it into dust. And I felt nothing. I took Hook’s hand and let him live so he could suffer like I did. But Hook had taken the bean and used it to escape to Neverland. All I had was Milah’s blood on my hands and a pirate hell-bent on revenge.’

‘Did you regret it?’

Rumple nodded. ‘She may not have loved me, but I did. I hated her for what she did to me, to us, but she will always shave a place in my heart.’

‘She didn’t deserve you.’

‘Debatable.’

‘No, it’s not.’

‘I couldn’t even muster the strength to fight for her. I had to tell my son his mother was dead. How could I tell him I let a band of pirates take his mother? Or worse, how could I tell him that his mother abandoned him without a moment’s thought?’

‘You told him the most important thing: that he wasn’t going to lose his papa too.’

‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry I put you in danger. Again.’

‘I chose to go to Hook’s ship. I had to get the shawl back. Hook is… a piece of work.’

Rumple smirked. ‘I think he learnt his lesson: Do not mess with Belle French.’

Belle laughed. ‘I wasn’t bad, was I?’

‘You’d put Captain Jack Sparrow to shame. You drew first blood.’

‘Have you seen these bruises?’ Belle showed him her hand.

‘Di you see Hook’s face?’

‘Yeah. Worth it.’

Rumple held up the shawl. ‘This would have been lost if it wasn’t for you, Belle. I would have been lost.’ He lowered it. ‘After everything you’ve learned about me, after everything I’ve done… why haven’t you given up on me?’

It was a fair question. Belle took his hand and looked him straight in those puppy dog eyes. ‘I learned a long time ago, that when you find something that’s worth fighting for, you never give up.’

Rumple welled up at her words and smiled at her, like she had answered his prayers.

As one they turned towards the orange line on the tarmac. This was it. They got out of the car and walked together to the very edge of the town line. Rumple took out the potion. Belle held out Bae’s shawl and poured a little onto it, storing the rest in his pocket.

The shawl glowed with blue magic. Rumple took his position and gestured for Belle to do the honours, a nervous but excited smile on his face. Belle nodded. Rumple bowed to her and Belle wrapped the shawl around his neck. He straightened up. Belle almost didn’t want to let go, but Rumple assured her the potion would work. Nothing was going to happen to him.

‘Okay…’ she whispered.

Rumple nodded, smiling. ‘Here we go.’

Belle released him. Rumple’s hand trailed down to her hand and gave it one last squeeze before he took a deep breath and stepped over the line.

A surge of blue magic pulse through his body, blowing his hair and he swayed a little where he stood as it took hold. Then it faded. She saw Rumple look left and right. Then he turned to face her. Rumple looked slightly dazed as he stared about him. Until his eyes found Belle. He just stared at her.

Belle had no idea what was going through his mind as he gazed at her, wide-eyed, mouth slightly open. Maybe he was still recovering from the shock. She waited for him to say something. To recognise her. She didn’t dare breathe. She couldn’t breathe. Even her heart refused to beat, scared of what he might say.

 _Please don’t let it be true_.

For a long moment Rumple stared at her. Then he raised his hand and pointed it at her. Rumple grinned broadly and his brown eyes shone with love. ‘Belle…’

Belle laughed in relief and nodded enthusiastically. ‘Yes!’ He remembered! He was still Rumple. She edged closer to the town line and grabbed Rumple’s outstretched hand in both of hers. ‘It worked.’

‘Yes, it did. It did,’ said Rumple, his smile contagious as he gripped her hand, like her too was confirming she was real.

Belle was too happy to be annoyed with him for scaring her half to death, for letting her think he’d been rewritten and all memory of their time together had been erased. He had done it. ‘Now you can find your son.’

Rumple nodded. ‘Come with me.’

Belle heard him but couldn’t process his request. ‘W-what?’

‘Belle, I want you to come with me,’ said Rumple sincerely. ‘We can find my boy together.’

‘Rumple… this is your journey.’

‘This is _our_ journey. I wouldn’t have got this far without you. You helped me complete the potion, you got the shawl back, you stopped me from falling into darkness. You made all this possible.’

‘You’d have figured it out on your own,’ said Belle.

Rumple chuckled. ‘Maybe. But the thing is… I don’t want to. I don’t want to be alone anymore. True love takes two, remember? I want you there when I find my boy. Besides, I promised you I’d show you the world. How could I leave you behind?’

He was asking her to come with him. To take this journey, this adventure, together.

‘Will you?’ Rumple prompted, reminding her she hadn’t given him an answer.

No question. Belle nodded, beaming. ‘Yes! Of course I will!’

‘Oh God, I love you,’ Rumple breathed.

‘I love you too.’

They smiled at each other. This was it. The next chapter of their lives was about to begin. She was finally going to see the world beyond Storybrooke, going on an adventure with Rumple to find his son. Nothing could spoil this moment.

They shared a tender kiss over the town line. A golden light sparked where their lips met –

BANG!

Pain short through her shoulder, the force of it knocked her over the town line. She crashed through the barrier spell and was consumed in a surge of gold light. Rumple caught her deftly, dropping his cane in the process, oblivious to the fact that the barrier spell around Storybrooke, that had encased it like a snow globe, was disintegrating from the point where he and Belle had kissed.

But he did see Hook up the road, pointing his gun at them. ‘Love won’t stop a bullet.’

‘Belle?’ Rumple turned anxiously to Belle, who was seizing in his arms are the gold light swarmed around her. ‘Belle?!’ Rumple lowered her onto the ground. The light faded and Belle, looking pale, went limp. ‘BELLE!’

She was bleeding from the shoulder where Hook had shot her.

‘Do you know what people remember about the greatest star-crossed lovers?’ Hook called. ‘Not how they met, not the moment they fell in love, but the way the relationship tragically ended.’

‘No,’ Rumple muttered desperately, ‘no, no, no, no.’

She couldn’t be dead, she can’t be dead.

‘Now you finally know how it feels!’ Hook shouted angrily. ‘To watch the woman you love die in your arms!’

Rumple raised his tearstained face to Hook.

‘Well, come on then, Crocodile!’ Hook roared, throwing his arms wide. ‘Do your worst!’

Rumple cradled Belle in his arms and carried her back across the town line, feeling the magic return to him. ‘Oh, I intend to,’ Rumple snarled.

He raised his hand, magically producing a fireball. He drew it back, ready to throw it into Hook’s smirking face –

‘Rum…ple…’

The weak voice broke the tension. Rumple extinguished the fireball and looked down to see Belle’s beautiful blue eyes blinking blearily at him.

‘Rumple…’

‘Belle!’ Rumple breathed, reaching for her hand. ‘I’m here. I’m here, my darling.’

‘Impossible,’ said Hook, staring at Belle as if she shouldn’t exist. ‘She crossed the town line – she should have no idea who you are!’

‘True love’s kiss can break any curse,’ said Rumple, who was stroking Belle’s hair. ‘But Belle wasn’t given any cursed memories. Regina thought she was punishing her by making her remember, but she was saving her life.’

Belle tried to sit up but cried out and fell back, clutching her shoulder.

‘No, no, let me, let me,’ said Rumple hastily. He ran his glowing hand over her gunshot wound, healing it. ‘All better. Good.’

Belle smiled up at him. But the smile vanished as he cried in pain, the wound reopening and bleeding worse than ever, like the bullet had hit an artery. Horrified, Rumple clamped both his hands over the wound, pressing down hard in an effort to stop the bleeding, blood seeping between his fingers.

‘It’s not working… Why’s it not working?!’ Rumple demanded frantically.

‘Oops,’ sneered Hook.

‘What have you done? Tell me!’

Hook ejected the magazine of the gun and held up one of the bullets, the metal glinting in the moonlight. ‘A little gift from Cora. Anti Magic. The force of any healing magic will be reversed, and magnified tenfold. By trying to save your Belle, you’re only killing her faster. I was saving it for you, but…’ He wiggled his eyebrows at Belle. ‘I told you real life can get so messy. Nobody makes me bleed my own blood.’

Belle glared at him through a haze of pain and blood loss.

‘Let go now and she dies. What will it be, Crocodile? How badly do you want to kill me?’

Rumple bared his teeth at him, maintaining pressure on Belle’s shoulder. Her strangled gasp made him looked down. ‘Belle? What’s wrong?’

Belle’s head was turned towards the town line, staring in terror up the road. ‘Car…’

‘What?’

‘ _Car_!’

Rumple whipped around in time to see a car barrelling down the road towards them, headlights blazing. He yelled as he grabbed Belle and ninja rolled them out of the way, missing the car wheels by inches. Hook wasn’t so lucky. The car ran into him, sending him crashing into the windscreen, over the roof and into the road, while the car swerved and crashed into a large boulder. Hook lay motionless on the side of the road. Rumple raised his head and saw the smashed car had Pennsylvania plates.

The world had come to Storybrooke.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course Belle’s greatest weapon is books, but her other superpower is resourcefulness: cart of books, oar, sword, her fists - anything she can lay her hands on. Belle can take care of herself. And I had to include the famous fanart of Belle punching Hook!
> 
> I always wondered what would have happened if Rumbelle had managed to kiss over the town line. Would Belle have been protected? Would their True Loves Kiss have broken the curse over the line?
> 
> And as many people have said, why the hell were people just letting Hook roam free?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewrite of present day events of In the Name of the Brother.
> 
> Mostly Rumple POV for this one.
> 
> Love quote from Charmed: Season 7, Episode 16
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. This is for fun and not for profit.

Belle stared up unseeingly at the dark sky as she lay on the tarmac, rain splashing on her face. Rumple, his hair dishevelled, had wrapped her in his coat to keep her warm, his shaking hands almost completely scarlet from trying to staunch her bleeding. She was so cold. She could hear, distantly, Rumple telling her to stay with him, that everything was going to be all right, trying to keep her conscious and stop her from going into shock. And all the while darkness was creeping in the edges of her vision.

She didn’t think it would end like this.

‘No one’s going to come in time, are they?’ Belle muttered.

‘Someone _will_ come,’ Rumple insisted.

The whole town would have seen the curse around the town breaking. The heroes would be on their way right now to investigate. And Rumple had called for an ambulance.

‘You just need to hang on.’

He took off his tie and tied it around Belle’s upper arm as a tourniquet.

Belle swallowed. ‘Rumple…’ He looked at her. ‘Tell… tell Baelfire I said “hi”.’

‘You can tell him yourself, because you’re going to be okay.’

‘Rumple –’

‘ _No_. it can’t end like this. We’ve got so much to do, you and me. We’re gonna go anywhere – everywhere. The pyramids of Egypt. New Zealand. Paris – City of Lovers. From the Edge of Realms to the Alignment of Exodor.’

Belle blinked up at him. ‘What’s the Alignment of Exodor?’

Rumple grinned, nodding encouragingly. ‘Keep fighting and you’ll find out.’

Belle sighed. ‘I’m tired, Rumple… I’m sorry… I’m sorry I let Hook get the gun…’

Rumple shook his head. ‘No. Belle, please. Stay with me. Stay with me, please.’

‘I’m always with you… Always…’

The darkness took her. Her true love’s face the last thing she saw before blackness swallowed him up…

 

‘Belle?’

Rumple shook her, but Belle didn’t wake.

‘Belle?’ His voice broke, his tears mingling with the rain as Belle lay motionless, pale as death. ‘Oh no. Belle, don’t leave me! Please don’t leave me. Oh God, no…’

He gathered her up into his arms and held her close, rocking backwards and forwards as he sobbed. The sounds of sirens blared behind him, but he did not turn. They were too late. The ambulance, the Sheriff, all of them.

Emma, Charming and Snow got out of the squad car. Charming ran towards Rumple and Belle with Snow trailing behind.

‘Are you okay?’ Charming called.

Meanwhile, Emma radioed for more assistance. ‘I’m at the town line. Two people down, maybe three. There’s a car – pretty banged up with Pennsylvania plates.’

‘What’s going on?’

‘Stay there!’ Rumple roared, seizing his cane and pointing it threateningly at Charming.

Prince Charming stopped in his tracks, holding up his hands. They had thought he had arrested Hook, when in fact it was Cora with her glamour spell, and Belle had gotten shot. This man was not taking a step further until he proved his identity.

‘Back in the Enchanted Forest, I told you I loved someone, how did I describe her?’

‘Have you gone mad?’

‘Answer me!’

‘She – she was a flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness!’ Charming shouted.

Rumple lowered his cane, breathing heavily.

‘What the hell’s wrong with you?’ Snow demanded.

‘Cora has been impersonating your charming husband. And Regina.’

Snow’s eyes widened. ‘Cora… Regina was setup!’

‘ _Really_? You don’t say!’

‘What happened?’ Charming asked, crouched beside Belle.

‘Hook shot her,’ Rumple’s voice trembled as Charming checked her over.

‘Pulse is weak, but she’s still alive. Why aren’t you healing her?’

‘If I heal her I kill her. Hook shot her with Anti Magic.’

An ambulance arrived.

‘Over here!’ Charming yelled.

The paramedics made for Hook first, but Emma directed their attention to the driver of the car and Belle instead. ‘No! Them! Take care of these two first. He can wait.’

‘What?’ said Snow.

‘There’s someone in there.’

While they watched the paramedics look over the unconscious outsider, two more paramedics came over to assess Belle. But Rumple didn’t want to let her go.

‘Gold, you have to let her go,’ said Charming gently but firmly. ‘Belle’s gonna be okay, but you have to let them take care of her. Please.’

Very reluctant to be parted from her, Rumple released Belle and allowed the paramedics to do their thing. Soon Belle was strapped to a gurney, being wheeled off to the ambulance, Rumple holding her hand. He could join her in the ambulance as they were also transporting the unknown driver and he knew if he got into the second ambulance with Hook he would do something he’d regret. So Rumple told Belle he would be right behind her and followed in his car.

 

At the hospital Belle, Hook and the driver of the car were wheeled in on stretchers by the paramedics while the rest of the group from the accident site followed behind them.

‘Car verses pedestrian. Chest trauma from the wheel,’ said the paramedic to a nurse. ‘Pedestrian’s got contusions, broken ribs.’

‘Go to x-ray. Pedestrian first.’

‘Hide him,’ said Emma.

‘What?’ said the Nurse.

‘Find a room and hide him.’

Rumple limped in just as the doctors converged on Belle. From amidst the medical mumbo jumbo the bullet had hit her brachial artery and shattered her shoulder blade and she was being prepped for surgery as well as a blood transfusion. He thought he also heard something about putting in a plate to hold the fragments in place and the possibility of nerve damage.

‘Belle,’ said Rumple as they wheeled her away from him. Where were they taking her? ‘What’s going on?’

Charming hurried forward to stop Rumple coming any further. ‘Get him out of here!’

‘Well, what’s happening?’ Rumple demanded, trying to fight him off, staring desperately after Belle. ‘Belle!’

‘I’d like to know that myself,’ said Leroy.

‘Belle! Belle!’

‘Everybody, calm down!’ Dr Whale had arrived. ‘Mr Gold. Everything will be fine. She’s in good hands here. I promise.’

If it were not for the smell of drink on the doctor’s breath, Rumple might have been reassured. The only thing that gave him comfort was that Dr Whale was in charge of the driver. Which meant it was the outsider dying on the operating table instead of Belle.

The next couple of hours passed in a blur. Charming took Rumple to the gents to wash Belle’s blood off his hands and, while the prince went off with the others to discuss the fate of the driver, Rumple was left to wait in the waiting area. He couldn’t sit down. He jumped every time he saw a doctor or a nurse coming down the corridor, hoping for news on Belle’s condition, but they all walked passed him. How long did a shoulder operation take? And was no news good news or did they didn’t know how to tell the fearsome Mr Gold that his girlfriend was –

No. He would know if something had happened to Belle. If Charming, locked in the Evil Queen’s dungeon, could feel it the instant Snow White was choking to death on a piece of poisoned apple, Rumple would have felt it if Belle had succumbed to her injuries. Because they were struck with a sudden burst of love, a psychic shock, the kind of shock that could only come from the total loss of a loved one.

After what felt like an eternity, a young doctor, Dr Pond, approached him to tell him the surgery went well but they were still concerned about Belle’s blood pressure. They had given her a transfusion but were keeping her on a heart rate monitor over night to be safe. Dr Pond then led Rumple to the room where Belle was recovering. Rumple thanked her and entered the room.

Belle was the only patient on the ward. She was lying in the hospital bed, dressed in a yellow gown, an IV stood hanging next to the bed as did a heart monitor, which was beeping rhythmically. Her left arm was in a sling and lay across her chest, and her shoulder was surrounded by pillows for comfort. Her eyes were closed; she looked pale and somehow thinner than usual. Rumple approached her bedside.

He reached out and stroked her cheek softly with the back of his fingers. ‘Oh Belle,’ he whispered, fighting back tears as he gazed at his sleeping beauty.

He bent over her and carefully kissed her on the lips. He thought he saw the corners of her mouth lift in a faint smile and his heart beat excitedly. She was waking up.

Then the heart monitor began beeping piercingly as her blood pressure dropped and suddenly doctors were swarming in, pushing Rumple out of the way as they surrounded Belle. The sound of a flatline filled the room and Rumple knew that his heart had stopped too.

‘Clear!’ The Doctor pressed the defibrillator into Belle’s chest and shocked her. ‘No, nothing. Give me two hundred, Nurse. Charging. Stand clear!’ Belle was shocked again and the flatline was silenced. ‘Hold it…’

The heart monitor beeped softly and Rumple breathed again. They brought her back. He stumbled out of the room and retched into a nearby bin. Belle’s heart had stopped. She had almost died. He had almost killed her, again. He limped down the stairs where the heroes, Ruby and Leroy were crowded around Dr Whale, still discussing the outsider.

‘Gold.’ Charming hurried over to Rumple. ‘How’s Belle?’

Rumple stared blindly at Charming’s hand on his shoulder. ‘S-she flatlined.’

Ruby and Leroy looked horrified at his words.

‘Oh God, is she –’

‘No,’ Rumple shook his head. ‘They brought her back, but she’s still unconscious.’

‘I’m so sorry. But, hey. Belle will get through this. She survived Regina. Takes more than a bullet to stop her.’

‘Gold.’ Dr Whale stepped forward. ‘You fixed me. Now fix him. It will take you seconds and cost you nothing.’

They wanted him to heal the outsider. His Belle was fighting for her life and all they cared about was the life of someone who could expose them. Rumple angrily shrugged off Charming’s hand and his false-concern. ‘No.’

‘No?’ Dr Whale repeated. ‘Just… No?’

‘I owe you nothing, Whale. I owe none of you anything. And some of you, owe me.’ He glared at Emma in particular, who still owed him a favour. Each and every one of them owed him. How many times had he helped them? ‘So, yeah, just… No. Oh, and point of interest – the driver? If he didn’t see me throwing magic around, he would most certainly have seen the large dome of magic around the town. So, instead of trying to get him out of here, you better be hoping his dies. Because if he doesn’t, he’s going to be driving tour buses up and down Main Street. That is if we haven’t been sectioned, exterminated or experimented on first. So glad I don’t give a damn.’

With one last contempt look at all of them Rumple walked out of the hospital. He hadn’t even made it down the disabled ramp when he heard someone calling his name.

‘Gold, wait!’ Ruby called. ‘Rumplestiltskin, wait!’

So reminiscent was it of Belle calling him back, Rumple stopped. He turned to face her.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, rubbing her arms against the cold. ‘That was incredibly insensitive of us. How is Belle?’

Rumple sighed. ‘Well, I tried to give her true love kiss and stopped her heart, so it could have gone better.’

Ruby smiled kindly. ‘Or you kissed her and she just happened to flatline at that moment. True loves kiss is powerful, but I don’t think it’s powerful enough to cure sword or gunshot wounds.’

‘I feel so useless, Miss Lucas. Belle needs me and I don’t know how to help her. How do I bring her back?’

‘Is that rhetorical?’

‘I’m out of my depth.’

‘Well… when David was in a coma, Mary Margaret read their story to him and he woke up. Maybe if you read your story to Belle that’ll give her the strength to wake up.’

‘I’ll ask Henry if he’ll be willing to bequeath his book. In the meantime, I need to find a way to remove the Anti Magic. You’ll look after Belle while I’m gone?’

‘No worries. Good luck.’

‘Same to you… Miss Lucas. Save him if you must but Storybrooke must remain a secret.’

‘We will. We got this. You focus on saving Belle.’

Beast to beast they nodded and parted ways.

 

Rumple scoured his shop for all the magic he possessed. Anything to counteract Hook’s Anti Magic. Whilst looking in one of the cupboards behind the counter he found their chipped cup. He took it out and held it, reminiscing. Please don’t let this be the only thing he had of Belle.

Suddenly, the bell to the front door rang. Rumple placed the cup safely back in the cupboard and went over to investigate. He parted the blind but there was no one outside. When he turned round he saw that a box was now sitting on the counter.

‘Hello Rumple.’

Rumple jumped and saw Cora standing near the door, smiling at him.

‘Well, I expected this was just a matter of time,’ said Rumple to the woman who chose power over love and who had given Hook the magic that had put Belle in a coma. ‘Had hoped you were dead, but hey – disappointment’s juts a part of life. I’m sure we can agree on that.’

‘Aw, the crocodile snaps at the little bird. And after I brought you a gift.’

‘Yeah, did you bring the antidote, too?’

‘Oh, Rumple. It’s a peace offering.’

‘And what do you want for this… this peace offering?’

‘My daughter. You were so clever to get her to lay the curse so you could come here. You don’t need her anymore. Let me try to get her back and let us live.’

‘And what do I get for my troubles?’

‘Your son.’

Cora nodded towards the box. Rumple pulled off the lid, revealing a white globe inside.

‘You know what that is, of course.’

‘It’ll find him…’ Rumple whispered. But he tempered his excitement, remembering who he was dealing with. ‘If this one truly is it.’

Cora smiled. ‘Oh, darling, I have no reason to cheat you.’

‘Anymore,’ said Rumple coldly, remembering how she had tricked him into changing the contract.

‘I want you to find the one person _alive_ who might still love you. After all, I’m doing the same thing.’

Rumple thought of belle lying in a hospital bed. ‘Do you have any spells to undo Anti Magic?’

Cora reached into her cleavage and removed a small bottle of gold dust. ‘Call it a gesture of goodwill. So, will you accept my offer of a truce?’

A way to heal Belle and to pinpoint Baelfire’s exact location in exchange for her daughter. ‘Truce,’ Rumple agreed, extending his hands, which Cora took.

They shook on the deal.

Then Cora said, ‘Let’s seal it like we used to.’

Cora leaned in and kissed Rumple. He didn’t pull away, but he didn’t return the kiss either. Cora stepped away and left the shop to find her daughter.

 

Rumple knocked on the door of Snow White’s loft. Henry opened the door.

‘Mr Gold,’ said Henry in surprise. ‘My mom and grandparents aren’t here.’

‘Actually, it’s you I’m here to see, Henry,’ said Rumple. ‘I need your help to save Belle.’

‘Me? What can I do?’

‘Your storybook. Are Belle and I… in it?’

Henry retrieved _Once Upon A Time_ from his schoolbag and flipped through the book.

‘Here.’ Henry showed an illustration of Rumplestiltskin offering the red rose to a smiling Belle as they held the flower between them by the stem. The artist had captured the blue of Belle’s eyes. ‘I can’t believe it took me so long to figure out who you were.’

‘Well, when you’re focused on your grandparent’s story you’re bound to miss things. Sometimes the secondary characters are the most important characters of the story.’

‘Yeah. Look at Severus Snape.’

Rumple didn’t quite know how to respond to that comparison. ‘May I borrow this?’

‘Of course. I hope it helps.’

‘I’ll guard it with my life.’

Rumple made to poof back to the hospital.

‘Mr Gold.’

Rumple stopped.

‘It’ll be okay.’

‘Will it?’

‘Of course. You’re the Beast.’

‘Well, I’ve been called worse.’

‘No. You and Belle – you’re Beauty and the Beast. Everyone knows that story has a happy ending. It’s the greatest love story of all time. If you can find true love, then theirs hope for all of us.’

Rumple smiled, feeling a rush of affection for this remarkable young man.

‘Thank you, my boy.’

‘Now go save Belle.’

Rumple disappeared with a flourish of his hand, reappearing in the hospital corridor. He looked down at _Once Upon A Time_. ‘Hold on, Belle. I’m on my way.’

He limped towards her room. Leroy was standing guard outside. The second Rumple turned the corner Leroy raised his pickaxe, the former raising his cane.

‘Oh, thank god, it’s you,’ said Leroy, lowering the pickaxe in relief. ‘I thought it was that damn pirate.’

Rumple lowered his cane. ‘They’ve allowed the pirate to roam free?’ he growled.

Leroy let out a hollow laugh. ‘Free? They’re bleedin’ feeding him jello. It’s like they’re rewarding him for shooting Belle.’

‘How is she?’ Rumple asked, looking past him at Belle through the glass.

‘She’s hanging in there. Can you help her?’

Rumple held up the book. ‘I hope so.’ Shifting it under his other arm he pulled out the remainder of his potion from his pocket. ‘Look, um… this potion allowed me to cross the town line and still remember who I am. I don’t know if it’ll work but… Maybe it can help your brother, if he drinks it from his drinking stein.’

He held it out to the dwarf. Leroy almost took it but stopped himself. ‘And what do you want for this?’ he asked suspiciously.

Honestly, people nagged him to be more helpful and when he was they were ungrateful.

‘Nothing.’

‘Come on! There’s always a price with you.’

‘It’s magic that demands the price! You think I say it for fun? To save a life a life must be taken. You can’t create something out of nothing. Even J.K Rowling knows that!’

Leroy raised his eyebrows. ‘You’ve read Harry Potter?’

‘The point is – whilst I would use these deals to my advantage – magic has consequences, magic always come back on itself, and all magic comes with a price! But, in the interest of restoring balance to the universe, and my sanity, in taking this potion, whether it works or not, I have one request.’

‘Which is?’

‘Call her.’

‘Who?’

‘Your sweet, walking disaster with wings you’re clearly still in love with.’

‘Didn’t you watch _Good Morning Storybrooke_? She shot me down for the whole town to see. Dwarves and Fairies can’t fall in love.’

‘Neither, they said, can the Dark One. And yet, here we are. You and I, defying the odds.’

‘You hate fairies.’

‘With good reason. And believe me; I have a collection of wands and entomology of dead fairies in my shop to prove it. But the little I’ve seen of your Nova… while Mother Superior might find her clumsiness a liability, I personally find it rather endearing. Therefore, I’ll restrict my hostilities to those gnats who have wronged me directly. Which doesn’t answer my question: will you call her?’

‘We can’t be together!’

‘Why not?!’ Rumple chuckled, his voice becoming louder and angrier in frustration as he continued, ‘You bloody _moron_! She’s _out_ there, she _likes_ you, and she’s alive – and do you have the first idea how lucky you are?! Yes, she’s a fairy, you’re a dwarf, your union is frowned upon, but she’s… you know…’ He stopped, unable to find the words and scarcely believing he was sticking up for a fairy.

‘What?’ said the bewildered dwarf.

‘Just call her.’

‘Why?’

‘Because a cup of coffee at Granny’s is better than you are currently equipped to understand.’

‘A cup of coffee? Hardly the beginnings of a great love story.’

‘But it’s a beginning,’ said Rumple quietly. ‘And you’re not doing it for the benefit of others, that’s just a side-effect.’

‘Look, I understand how important true love is to you guys, but it –’

‘Would complete you as a human being – dwarf.’

‘That doesn’t even mean anything.’

‘Just text her. Phone her. Do _something_ while there’s still a chance, because that chance doesn’t last forever. Trust me, dwarf: it’s gone before you know it. Before – you – know – it,’ Rumple firmly emphasised each of the last four words, images of Bae falling through the green portal and Belle being shot flashing before his eyes.

Leroy flicked a couple of nervous glances up at Rumple.

‘If you’re lucky enough to find happiness. If it’s within your grasp,’ Rumple conjured a diamond from his shop – the very diamond that Leroy had intended to propose to Nova with, but had landed him in King George’s prison, ‘if you know… where it is and who it’s with… Then you should run to it –’ He placed it in Leroy’s hand. ‘Grasp it –’ He closed his fist around it. ‘And never let it go.’

Leroy was staring at Rumple as if he thought he might be ill. ‘I never figured out how Belle could be with such a monster. But now… now I’m starting to see it.’

‘And don’t you let on.’ Rumple placed the potion in the dwarf’s shirt pocket.

‘I got arrested for this stolen rock.’

‘Just tell them Mr Gold is your lawyer – that ought to get a reaction.’

Leroy smirked. He looked round anxiously at Belle. ‘If she wakes up…’

‘You and Miss Lucas will be the first to know,’ Rumple assured him.

Rumple limped inside. Setting Henry’s book down on the beside cabinet he took out the Anti-Anti-Magic dust. _If she dies, Cora…_ Rumple sprinkled the gold dust on Belle’s shoulder. He waited. Please Gods, tell me he hadn’t just made it worse. The beeping of the heart monitor damn near stopped his own and turned white-faced to the screen. But he saw that Belle’s blood pressure was increasing and returning to normal. Rumple breathed a sigh of relief. The process would be slow, but as the Anti Magic was neutralised, Rumple’s healing spell would take effect and heal Belle’s shoulder.

‘I’m here, Belle,’ Rumple whispered, touching her bar arm and taking the seat beside her. ‘I’m so sorry I had to leave you. Miss Lucas and the dwarf have been looking after you. You chose your friends well.’ He took the book and opened it on their story. ‘I know this sounds odd, but believe me it’s been tried and tested and very effective. I hope you can hear me, sweetheart.’

Rumple settled himself more comfortably, taking Belle’s hand and recounted their story.

‘“A gorgeous castle, once grand, now lay fallen on hard times. The dove whirled through the air, wings pumping hard as it beat towards the castle. A scroll tied to its leg, bearing news from the front. The ogres war had taken their toll. Avonlea had fallen. No man alive could stop them. Except one…”.’

*

Her world was black. She was lost in an ocean of darkness. Alone in her body, in her mind. She was frightened. There was no way out. Before it had been chains and locked doors keeping her trapped. She had no door, she didn’t need shackles to keep her imprisoned. The silence pressed in on her. How long had she been here? And hour? An eternity? There was no time here.

At one point she felt her lips tingle, like someone invisible was kissing. She felt a sudden contented glow inside her heart. A glow that grew lighter, white-hot. She closed her eyes, but somehow that made the light lighter still, so she opened them again. She could hear hospital noises: a heart monitor beeping, a ventilator wheezing. The machine noises were getting faster. She felt as if she was rising, though her feet remained on the floor. She was waking up! She closed her eyes again, knowing that when she opened them again she would be looking back into the eyes of –

And then there was silence. And then she was falling. Falling deeper into darkness. A bottomless pit, endless, fathomless. Then just as suddenly there was floor and her knees buckled and she fell to the unseen ground of this netherworld. She wrapped her arms around herself as the silence, the darkness, time stretched.

‘ _…But Belle was unafraid_.’ She could hear him… somewhere. Somewhere far away she couldn’t see.

‘Rumple?’ She swallowed, her breath shaking. She looked around in the dark, trying to see, trying to find where his voice was coming from.

‘ _Stepping out from behind her oaf of a fiancé; she bravely faced the Dark One, a vision in gold, and declared with all the authority of a queen, “I will go with him”._ ’

She pushed forwards through the sea of darkness.

Rumple’s voice was music that led her through this hellish place. The darkness was no match for the soft brogue that came through clear as a bell. He might have been standing next to her, guiding her through the maze back to him.

She was getting closer to him, listening to him recount their story. About how they met and made the deal that had changed both of their lives forever.

‘ _“Oh! And you will skin the children I hunt for their pelts.”_

_Belle dropped the teacup with a grasp._

_“That one was a quip,” Rumplestiltskin assured her. “Not serious.”_

Belle felt like laughing as Rumple put on his impish voice as he read. It was like she was back there in the Dark Castle with him, teasing her.

‘ _Belle laughed nervously, relaxing a little at her master’s morbid sense of humour and stooped to pick up the teacup. Her heart sank. It was broken. Rumplestiltskin peered round the table to see where his little maid had got to._

_“I-I’m so sorry, but… this is chipped,” said Belle timidly. “Y-you can hardly see it,” she said, holding up the cup with the obvious chip in the rim._

_Something stirred in the Dark One’s heart. She was afraid that she had angered him for chipping one of his teacups, as if it had sentimental value. She cared about the little things. How she cradled the chipped cup as if it were a wounded animal? Did she think he was going to shout at her over something so small?_

_“Well, it’s just a cup,” he told her._

_Little did either of them know that the chipped cup would never again be_ just _a cup. But a symbol of their love. Chipped, imperfect and yet it was its flaw that made it perfect_.’

What was intriguing about hearing Rumple read their story, was the author (whoever he or she is) was able to give her Rumple’s perspective of events. She had always suspected that Rumple deliberately chose to spin wherever she happened to be in the Dark Castle just to be close to her. In the Great Hall, in the library and once in the grounds where she was hanging up his laundry. That it surprised him that was laughing with him rather than at him after his feigning forgetfulness joke. And that the curtains incident was the first human contact he had had in far too long, _“least of all holding a beautiful woman in his arms, that had filled his home with light, long before she had torn down his curtains”_. Rumple had banished all the ladders to the vault after that.

Then Rumple reached the part about their first kiss, the kiss of true love, and the awful aftermath. Belle never knew what had happened after Rumple had thrown her in the dungeons. But she was about to find out…

‘ _Rumplestiltskin seized the walking stick, relic of his days as a mortal man, unloved then as he was now, and smashed his cabinet of treasures. Again and again he beat them, glass flying everywhere, until he flung the stick to the ground and leaned against the shattered case, his head bowed in anguish. Then he turned to his tea set and threw the cups at the wall, as if each one had done him a personal wrong._

_Mother – smash! Papa – smash! Milah – smash! Cora – smash! The Blue Fairy – smash!_

_He seized the last teacup, the chipped cup and stopped. He stared at the cup Belle had chipped on her first day here. Smashing this cup would be like smashing Belle. He would never hurt Belle. Never._

_She came back for him. She told him she loved him. That they were true love._

_What if it was true? But who could ever love him? Not his parents. None of the women he loved. What if Belle left too once she saw there was nothing special behind the Beast?_

_She deserved better than a broken man. Love was just an invitation for pain. His battered dark heart couldn’t survive another loss_.’

‘Oh Rumple,’ Belle whispered.

‘ _“Keep it… as a promise,” whispered his Belle._

_She was leaving him her ‘promise’. She would come back to him, she promised, just as her mother had promised she would come back to her daughter. This was a vow Belle would not break. When she had tasted freedom and adventure she would come back home. Back to him. For had she not said that Rumplestiltskin was her home?_ ’

‘I’m trying, Rumple. I’m trying –’

‘ _“…I’m coming back, Rumple”_ ,’ said Belle, Rumple and the voice of Belle who had spoken those words all those years ago.

Belle’s heart leapt at the sound of her own voice, the feeling carrying her upwards and, distantly but growing clearer, the sounds of the hospital. Suddenly a bright white glow appeared behind her. Belle turns and squints against the glare. She squeezed her eyes shut, shielding her gaze with her hand and tried to peek at the source of the mysterious light. It was like looking into the sun. There was the sound of a heartbeat. She pushed forwards towards the light, focusing on Rumple’s words, echoed by her past-self as she was being buddle into the Evil Queen’s prison carriage, ready to be transported to the tower, kept apart from her true love for nearly thirty years.

‘ _“You can’t keep us apart forever!”_.’

The machine noises were getting faster and the light brighter.

‘ _“I’ll fight for him! I’ll never stop fighting for him…!”_.’

Everything faded to pure white.

Belle blinked, and blinked again, the light revealing to be a florescent light on the hospital ceiling. The heart monitor beeped steadily beside her. Her gaze moved towards the glass doors and saw the fuzzy outline of Leroy asleep in a chair, holding a pickaxe. She shifted her gaze to see a blurry shaggy haired man in a suit reading a large book, which lay open on top of the mattress beside her.

She blinked once more.

Rumple was sitting in a chair beside her bed. He looked tired and worn, but he smiled wistfully as he read to her, lost in their story, not realising she was awake. She saw a large illustration of their teacup and Rumple’s clawed hand as he placed it on the plinth where the Holy Grail had sat.

‘“But this was not the end for Rumplestiltskin and Belle. Forces would strive to separate them. Darkness, weakness, friend and foe alike, even their own demons. But not matter what trials came their way; they would fight for each other, fight to be together and would never, ever give up. They would always come back to each other”.’

Rumple ran his hand over the picture of their chipped cup.

‘I always do,’ said Rumple and Belle together.

Rumple’s head snapped to Belle’s face. ‘ _Belle_.’ Rumple fumbled for her hand and squeezed it tightly, overwhelmed to see she was awake, his eyes never leaving her beautiful face. ‘Oh Belle. I’d thought I lost you.’

Belle laughed tiredly, squeezing his hand back, smiling up at him. ‘You’ll never lose me.’

Rumple smiled, tears of happiness welling up in his eyes, as he seemed to be struggling not to cry.

‘Rumple… thank you.’

‘What?’ Rumple looked confused.

‘When I was in the coma… I was so lost. I was alone in the dark. I was scared. And then I heard something…’ Belle smiled. ‘…your voice. And I wasn’t so scared because I wasn’t on my own. You were there. You found me. Thank you. Thank you for leading me out of the dark.’

‘Thank you for coming back to me. How’re you feeling?’

‘A bit sore.’

‘That’s what happens when you get shot.’

‘Hook?’

‘Tied up in bed and not in a good way.’

‘And the driver?’

‘Still in surgery.’

‘Can we go home?’

Rumple shook his head apologetically. ‘Not yet, sweetheart. The Anti Magic is still working its way out of your system. But I can manage a little morphine.’

Rumple pressed the button to increase the pain relief, one push at a time until Belle nodded for him to stop.

‘Better?’

Belle nodded gratefully.

‘Not seeing any pink elephants?’

Belle giggled, shaking her head. ‘If the furniture starts talking I’ll let you know.’ Belle reached for the button by her bed and carefully raised the bed up so that she was sitting up. ‘Now, where were we?’

‘Oh… I remember.’

Rumple leaned forward and kissed Belle. She could taste mint.

‘Did you brush your teeth?’ Belle asked.

Rumple pulled back looking faintly sick and a little ashamed. ‘I needed to get the taste out.’

‘What taste?’

‘Toxic love.’

Rumple told her that Cora was in town looking to be reunited with Regina. The Evil Queen and the Queen of Hearts united. What damaged could they wrought together?

‘What did she want?’

‘Her daughter, in exchange for my son.’ Rumple waved his hand and the white globe appeared. ‘This will find my boy.’

‘It’s beautiful. Where is he?’

‘I don’t know. I was waiting for you. This our journey, remember? We do this together.’

Belle looked grateful that Rumple had waited for her. ‘So how does it work?’

‘Well… I prick my finger and one drop of my blood will show me where any of my bloodline is anywhere in the world, in any realm.’

‘Like a GPS.’

‘Exactly.’

‘So what are we waiting for?’

Rumple pricked his finger on the point at the top and held his bleeding finger suspended over the globe. They looked at each other, the same nervous excitement they had before he crossed the town line.

‘Okay,’ Rumple whispered.

Belle nodded. ‘Here we go.’

Rumple dropped a drop of his blood onto the globe. He and Belle leaned closer to see. The globe began to glow and rotate. A red map of the world started to appear, with one point in particular standing out from the map.

They had found him!

‘Bae.’

*

Rumple and Belle finished making final preparations with regards to hiding the dagger in his absence. Belle had set up a dummy trail to lead potential thieves in the wrong direction, as people would suspect that Rumple would entrust it to her. But in the interest of her safety, Rumple didn’t tell her where precisely he had hidden it, so if anyone questioned her about its location she couldn’t tell them where it is because she didn’t know.

Ruby and Leroy had been overjoyed to see that Belle was awake and rushed to her bedside to hug her. Rumple had tried to sidle off, knowing he wasn’t wanted. Ruby had other ideas –

‘Oh no you don’t. Come here!’

She pulled him towards her and planted one on him, before hugging him tight, despite Rumple’s weak protests, looking shocked and a little terrified by this attack of affection. Ruby kissed him again and then returned to Belle’s side, leaving Rumple to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand, looking for all the world like a little boy with an over affectionate mother. He knew he had an effect on woman but this was ridiculous.

When Leroy walked up to him, he took a step back, wondering what on earth the dwarf was going to do to him to express his gratitude. He’d rather have the pickaxe. Thankfully, Leroy held out his hand. Rumple took it and they shook hands, Leroy giving him an approving nod and a faint smile.

After dropping Belle off at the library Rumple headed for Snow and Emma’s apartment. Time to call in that favour. He knocked on the door, but let himself in before Emma could answer.

‘Gold. We’ve all had a long night,’ said Emma.

‘Mr Gold!’ Henry hurried over eagerly. ‘How’s Belle?’

Rumple smiled at him. ‘She’s fine, Henry. Thank you for asking.’ He produced his storybook and returned it to Henry.

‘You took Henry’s book?’ said Snow indignantly.

‘Henry gave it to me to help Belle. You do remember Belle, don’t you? You and your book saved the day again, Henry.’

‘I knew you’d save her,’ said Henry as if he never doubted it. ‘I’m glad I could help.’

Rumple turned to Emma. ‘You remember that favour you owe me, Miss Swan?’

‘Yeah,’ said Emma.

‘I’m cashing it in.’

‘It’s not a good –’

‘You do honour your agreements, don’t you?’ Rumple reminded her coldly. ‘I need to find someone, so we’re leaving today. Pack a bag.’

‘Leaving?’ Snow repeated.

‘Where?’ asked Henry.

‘Wait. Find someone?’ asked Emma, suddenly curious. ‘Who?’

‘My son,’ said Rumple.

Emma and her parents looked surprised by the revelation that Mr Gold had a son. Everyone except Henry, who had read Rumplestiltskin’s humble beginnings in his book.

‘It has to be today, because every minute I’m here, is a minute closer to me killing Hook. So it’s really best for all concerned if I leave, and you’re going to come with me. Oh and, um,’ he pointed round at Charming, Snow White and Emma Swan, ‘we have a long history. So know this, and know it to be true. If you let that pirate escape… if any harm comes to Belle while we’re gone, because of your negligence… I’m killing all of you.’

Emma glared at him, hugging Henry protectively.

‘I’ll see you at noon.’

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Magic has consequences – Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
> 
> All magic comes with a price – Rumplestiltskin, Once Upon a Time
> 
> Magic always comes back on itself – Rosalind the Enchantress (Belle’s mother), Disney Twisted Tale: As Old As Time by Liz Braswell


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewrite of present day events of Tiny.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. This is for fun and not for profit.

In her library apartment, Belle zipped up her suitcase with one hand. Her left arm was in a sling while the anti-magic was still working its way out of her system, but that wasn’t going to let that stop her or quell her excitement. She was going outside Storybrooke. She was going out into the world. She was going on an adventure with Rumplestiltskin to find his long lost son.

She hoped she had everything they might need.

At that moment she heard Rumple come in. ‘I told Miss Swan we leave at noon. Should give her enough time to get ready.’

Rumple closed the door and turned. He stopped short when he saw that in the time it had taken him to go tell the Saviour to pack a bag, Belle had already packed two suitcases – with one hand! Rumple looked from the suitcases to the door and back again.

‘How long was I gone for?’ Rumple wondered aloud, bemused.

Belle walked back in with a washbag in her hand. ‘Oh hey, you’re back!’ she beamed.

Rumple smiled back and moved forward to inspect the luggage. ‘I’m curious how long you thought this trip was going to be?’

‘Rumple, this is our first big city outside of Storybrooke. Apart from curse memories, this is the first time either of us are going out into this new land. If I don’t know where we’re going, how do I know what to pack? Will it be hot? Will it be cold? Will it be wet? Will it be dry? Will…’ Belle blushed, embarrassed at how neurotic she must sound. ‘Will you still let me come on this trip?’

Rumple smiled fondly and came over to kiss Belle on the forehead. ‘I won’t leave without you, Belle. And whilst I’m sure we’ll need no more than a change a clothes and to warm up warmly, you are being very smart about this. Neither of us knows what to expect. There’s no harm in being prepared. Hot weather. Cold weather. No weather.’

Rumple picked up a big stripy box.

‘You’ve got a… a hat box?’

Rumple opened the box, but it was empty. He turned it upside down but no hat fell out.

‘I know there’s no hat in there, I just really wanted to see the look on your face,’ said Belle cheekily.

They laughed.

‘I’m just so excited. Aren’t you excited?’

‘Well, now, let me see… Excited? To finally leave this hellhole, entering a land without magic and sharing a car with the Saviour who, and I quote, wanted to punch me in the face?’

Belle sighed.

‘Of course I’m excited. I’m finally finding my son, with you. Where else could I be?’

They kissed.

‘Your shoulder should be fully recovered by the time we arrive.’ He held out his arm, like a gentleman. ‘Shall we?’

Belle looped her arm through his. Next stop – anywhere. ‘Where are we bound?’

‘How would you like to visit a magical city called New York?’

 

Rumple knocked on the Charmings apartment door with the golden handle of his cane. Emma answered it.

‘Ready to go, Miss Swan?’

‘Almost,’ said Emma. ‘You okay, Belle?’

‘I am, thank you,’ said Belle.

Rumple and Belle entered the apartment just as Henry came into the room with a suitcase and his coat, asking, ‘Do you think we’ll be cold where we’re going, or warm?’

‘I think layers are always good idea,’ replied Emma.

‘I thought the terms of our agreement were quite clear,’ said Rumple. ‘You owe me a favour – you alone.’

‘I’m not leaving Henry here with Cora lurking about, so either we both go or we both stay.’

Rumple sighed. ‘Then we’ll have to purchase another plane ticket, won’t we?’

‘Wait. We’re flying?’ Emma asked as Snow helped Henry put on his jacket.

‘Don’t worry, I’m covering expenses. Even the new ones.’

‘You’re a real gentleman, aren’t you?’ remarked Charming, coming over to Rumple. ‘Alright, Gold, you’re going out there with my family. Just know, if anything happens to them...’

‘Then you’ll what? Cross the town line? And David Nolan will hunt me down in his animal rescue van?’

‘I’ll be devastated,’ said Charming quietly. And in that moment he wasn’t Prince Charming facing the Dark One, he was David the shepherd – a husband, a father, a grandfather – speaking to Rumple, a fellow shepherd; one family man to another. ‘This isn’t a threat. It’s a request. Take care of them.’

Rumple’s expression softened at being spoken to as a human. He nodded. ‘I promise no harm will come to your family.’ He met Belle’s gaze briefly. ‘As I trust you that no harm will come to mine.’

Ten minutes later the black Cadillac drove down a deserted road, heading for the town border. Rumple, equipped with the shawl around his neck, was driving. Belle sat next to him in the passenger seat while Emma and Henry sat in the back.

‘So… where are we going?’ Henry asked.

‘Logan International Airport,’ said Rumple without taking his eyes off the road.

‘I think he meant after that,’ said Emma.

‘Let’s just take this one step at a time, shall we?’

As the orange line loomed nearer, Emma eyed his talisman doubtfully. ‘You really think that shawl’s going to work?’

‘Well, if it doesn’t, and I revert back to my cursed self, we’re all going to have problems.’

Belle saw in the rear view mirror Emma glance sideways at Henry, the only person in this car who had any inkling of what ‘Mr Gold’ was really like.

‘Well, do you even need it? I thought you and Belle broke the curse on the town line?’

‘We don’t know what we did,’ said Belle. ‘For all we know, we only broke the spell stopping the world from finding Storybrooke.’

‘And what about you, Belle?’

‘Belle’s fine,’ Henry assured his mother. ‘Mom cursed her to remember.’

‘We’ll be fine,’ said Rumple confidently.

Yet as they approached the town line, Belle grasped Rumple’s knee and Rumple braced himself, his knuckles whitening on the steering wheel. They passed the _Leaving Storybrooke_ sign and a wave of blue magic washed over Rumple and Belle, who closed their eyes briefly.

‘So?’ said Emma, looking between them.

‘My name is Rumplestiltskin,’ said Rumple smugly.

‘And I’m Belle,’ said Belle.

‘And we’re going to find my son.’

*

Having picked up their boarding passed Rumple and Belle followed Emma and Henry to the line for security, keeping close together. Whilst waiting for their turn, Henry turned to Rumple. ‘Have you ever been outside of Storybrooke, Mr Gold?’

‘No,’ said Rumple distractedly.

‘Are you nervous?’

‘No.’

‘Are you worried about meeting your son?’

‘No, Henry, I’m fine,’ said Rumple edgily, rounding on Emma to get her to stop her son asking prying questions.

‘How about we talk about all this later, kid?’ said Emma, pulling off her jacket. ‘We’re next.’

They moved forward. Henry and Emma began taking off their shoes to put in the boxes.

‘It must be really hard not to use magic – being like everyone else.’

Rumple and Belle looked confused at the boxes. Hadn’t they just dropped off their luggage?

‘You’ve got to put your shoes in,’ Emma prompted quietly.

Rumple looked appalled, as if she had just told them to put their underwear in there. ‘How terribly uncivilised.’

Rumple and Belle took off their shoes as Henry went through the metal detector. As Belle made to follow, Rumple was stopped by the TSA Agent. ‘Scarf and cane go in the basket.’

‘What?’ said Rumple.

‘Scarf and cane go in the basket,’ the Agent repeated.

Belle re-joined them, exchanging a worried look with Rumple. The scarf was Rumple’s protection. What would happen to him if he took it off? Rumple looked panically between Belle and Emma, as if asking for help.

‘I – I can’t,’ he whispered nervously.

‘You have to. I’m sorry. It’s regulations,’ said Emma apologetically.

An impatient man behind them interrupted their whispered conversation. ‘It ain’t rocket science, buddy. You ever been on a plane before?’

‘Have you ever been impaled upon a cane before?’ Rumple growled, raising his cane threateningly.

Belle and Emma intervened swiftly before he got dragged away by security.

‘My… husband’s a little nervous. We’re headed to a family reunion. Sorry,’ said Belle, pulling Rumple away from the man.

To hear Belle refer to him as her husband shocked Rumple out of his anger.

‘Yeah, Father, I think you’ve forgotten to take your pills this morning,’ said Emma, pointedly.

‘Your father?’ Rumple repeated incredulously.

Belle shared his aversion. Emma was only a few years older than her. Having just introduced herself as Rumple’s wife, Emma claiming he was her father, this was beginning to sound like a Greek tragedy.

Emma lowered her voice. ‘Just put your shawl in the bin. Belle and I will help you get through.’

‘If I let this go, I could forget who I am,’ said Rumple desperately.

‘We’re not gonna let that happen.’

Rumple turned to Belle who nodded encouragingly. He swallowed and nodded. ‘Okay.’

Belle stepped through the metal detector quickly. Rumple, just as quickly, put his cane, coat, suit jacket and shawl in the bin. Belle saw him grimace as immediately he felt a pounding in his head, his hearing distorted and became physically unstable. Rumple stumbled through the metal detector. Belle seized his hand and guided him along. Rumple obeyed the pull unresistingly, walking in an almost trance-like state. Emma followed close behind. She hurriedly pulled the shawl out of the bin and placed it back around Rumple’s neck.

Rumple blinked rapidly, his hearing and mind returning to normal. Emma and Belle stared at him with concerned looks, seeking reassurance that he was all right. Rumple nodded to them, though he looked winded and a little shaken by what he’s just experienced.

Belle squeezed his arm. ‘See? One step at a time.’

Rumple nodded again, his hand covering hers gratefully.

Henry, unaware of what had happened, came bounding back. ‘Guys! There’s a Cinnabons here!’

Then he hurried off again.

Emma laughed at his youthful enthusiasm as they put their shoes back on. Rumple said nothing. He was quieter now in the waiting area then he had been when they arrived, but no less edgy as he paced up and down restlessly, wearing out the carpet. Belle watched him anxiously, unable to read the guidebook to New York she had picked up.

‘Do you want something to eat?’ asked Emma.

‘No.’

‘Is something wrong?’

‘Stop asking me that!’ Rumple snapped. ‘I’ll be right back.’

Belle watched as he disappeared into the gent’s toilet. Time stretched and the only man that emerged was a fellow passenger. Either Rumple was going about some quite serious business or he wasn’t handling all this very well.

‘I’ll be right back,’ Belle echoed, laying the unread guidebook aside.

She got up before Emma had a chance to stop her. She seized a yellow _Caution Cleaning in Progress_ sign from a cleaner’s cart as she pushed the door open. She set up the sign in front of the door and looked around the room. The toilets appeared to be empty, but the cubical door was shut.

Belle knocked on the cubicle door.

‘It’s occupied!’ Rumple barked.

‘Rumple, it’s me,’ Belle called softly. ‘Please come out.’

The lock slide back and the door creaked open. Belle saw the dented toilet paper dispenser, evidence of Rumple’s anxiety attack, before she saw a sheepish Rumple. The knuckles of his right hand were bleeding.

‘Belle, this is the gents. You can’t come in the gents,’ said Rumple, baffled by this breech of etiquette and the fact that she would subject herself to the sordid things that happened behind these doors.

Without comment Belle took him to the sinks to clean him up.

‘Here.’ She bathed his hand in a wet towel.

‘Thank you,’ said Rumple softly.

‘What’s going on, Rumple? You’re worried about Bae.’

‘I’m always worried about Bae.’

Rumple glanced at his bloody hand, an injury he could’ve healed in a trice back home, and then at his reflection in the mirror over the sinks. From the look on his face, he didn’t like the image of the man staring back at him. He certainly didn’t look like the confident Dark One or the composed Mr Gold.

‘It’s just being out here, without my magic… Even without it, Storybrooke feared me as Mr Gold, the town monster. Out here… I’m right back where I started… The village coward. What if I can’t protect you out here, Belle? Without my power –‘

The door banged open as a man entered.

‘Oi!’ said Belle loudly, startling the man. ‘There’s a sign – cleaning in progress. Out, out.’

The Man backed out. Rumple couldn’t help but snort.

‘Rumple, it’s okay. You’re doing really well. You won’t let anyone hurt me. And if anything does happen, Emma’s here. Safety in numbers. You have your cane. And my books are a lethal weapon – as is my heels.’

Rumple smiled weakly.

‘Have you thought about what you’ll do when you see him again?’

‘I was so sure when I thought he had come to town to find me.’

‘And now?’

‘If I can get him to come with us to Storybrooke. There’s magic there. I can turn the clock back. Make him fourteen again. We can start over.’

It broke Belle’s heart to put a pin in Rumple’s plan when he looked so hopeful. But if he came to Bae with plans of using magic, his son would be lost to him for good. She just had to break to him delicately.

‘Rumple,’ said Belle, trying to keep judgement out of her voice. ‘I love you. And I want to be supportive. But… are you out of your fucking mind? Baelfire doesn’t want to be fourteen again. I wouldn’t want to be fourteen again.’

‘I can’t make up for the lost time, but I can take away the memories. The pain…’

‘And take away who he is?’ said Belle, gently reminding him of a similar time in the Dark Castle when Rumple had suggested a memory wipe. ‘Magic is what tore you both apart. I don’t think magic’s going to fix this.’

Rumple’s face crumpled, knowing she was right. He leaned heavily against the sinks for support. ‘He won’t want to see me. He’ll slam the door in my face, and rightly so. That’s if he doesn’t runaway first. He’ll hate me, Belle, and I would not blame him.’

‘And yet here you are,’ said Belle. ‘You still came all this way; travelling to this city, without magic, just to see him.’

Rumple turned to Belle. ‘How can I not? He’s my son. I love him.’

Belle smiled. ‘And Bae needs to know that. Not knowing is the worst. Not knowing if your son still loves you. Not knowing that his papa moved heaven and earth, even sacrificed his own happiness, to find him. Because he loves him. I’m sure that when you’re face to face with him, you’ll know what to say. Just don’t use the word ‘magic’ and you’ll be fine.’

There came a knock at the door and Henry poked his head in. ‘Mr Gold? Belle? We’re boarding soon. You coming?’

‘We’ll be right there, Henry,’ said Belle. To Rumple she said, ‘Ready?’

Rumple took a deep breath and nodded. ‘Yes.’

 

They took their seats on the plane. Emma and Henry sat on the left hand side, looking like an ordinary mother and son on vacation; Henry eating his Cinnabons purchase, excited about going on a quest with his mother. Rumple and Belle sat on the right. Both were tense, like they expected to crash when they hadn’t even taken off yet. Rumple jumped at every little noise like a startled rabbit. Belle gripped the arms of her seat, focusing on her breathing.

‘You okay?’ Rumple asked quietly.

Belle looked at him. He looked anxious and slightly guilty. He had been so busy worried about himself, he hadn’t thought to ask how Belle was coping being out here. And she had taken such good care of him, making him feel better about the whole thing.

Belle swallowed. ‘Yeah. Just a bit… nervous. I mean… you’ve been in one of these before.’

‘Mr Gold has,’ Rumple corrected her. ‘I haven’t. You’ve flown before.’

‘With Sahara who knew what she was doing. And if she ever got into trouble, I’d get her out of it. Now I’m riding inside some metal bird, that’s somehow able to fly without flapping its wings.’

They both tensed at the sound of more metallic clunks sounded as the plane made ready to depart. Emma glanced over at Rumple, noticing his jumpiness and bandaged hand.

‘It’s going to be okay,’ Emma told him. ‘We’re going to find your son.’

‘I know,’ said Rumple. He leaned closer to Belle conspiratorially. ‘Would the Captain be terribly offended if I asked if you could fly the plane?’

Belle raised her eyebrows. ‘I don’t think they would allow you into the cockpit. And I can’t fly a plane.’

‘Yeah well, I’d take a pretty amateur over a drunk professional right now.’

Belle shrugged. ‘I could give it a shot…’

They chuckled nervously.

‘Belle…’ Rumple turned to his beloved beauty. ‘I’m glad you’re with me.’

Belle smiled, nodding.

Then plane started up and began to move. Belle reached for Rumple’s injured hand and gripped his fingers and felt Rumple squeeze hers back.

‘ _Welcome, folks, to Ajira Airlines Flight 53, with nonstop service to New York City. Our flight time tonight is forty two minutes. Please sit back, relax and enjoy the ride._ ’

Rumple stared straight ahead into the distance, more nervous than ever. Whilst Belle prayed to the Gods for them not to crash.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewrite of present day events of Manhattan and FTL events post Heroes and Villains.
> 
> Reference to fics ‘The Promise’ and ‘Home’ from the Baelfire Lives series.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. This is for fun and not for profit.

The yellow taxi pulled up outside an apartment building on 89 Wooster Street in the SoHo district. Rumple stepped out of the taxi, staring up at the shabby building. Then he held out his hand to help Belle out. She had taken off the sling and rotated her shoulder, staring in awe at the twinkling, concrete jungle of New York City. Henry followed after her and Emma got out of the passenger side and walked round to join the group.

‘What’s wrong?’ Emma asked Rumple. ‘Is this the right place?’

‘Yes it is,’ said Rumple.

‘Let me guess, he isn’t expecting you?’

Rumple didn’t answer.

‘Well, who doesn’t love a surprise?’

Emma and Henry headed inside. Belle squeezed Rumple’s arm reassuringly and they followed. The quartet entered the lobby. Henry peered at the list of names on the intercom next to the wrought iron gate, trying to decipher which apartment Bae lived in.

‘No Baelfire,’ Henry announced.

‘Yeah, that wouldn’t fly as an alias,’ said Emma. ‘Your magic globe didn’t give you an apartment number?’

‘It doesn’t work like that,’ Rumple muttered and he and Belle moved forward to inspect the names.

‘Do any of these names mean anything to you?’ Henry asked Rumple as he checked the mailboxes.

‘Well, names are what I traffic in, but sadly no.’

Belle peered at the names trying to see if any had connections to the Enchanted Forest, like their Storybrooke Counterparts, maybe even an anagram. But it didn’t look like it. Apartments 505 and 607 were listed as ‘Unoccupied’. She scanned the names critically: _101 J. Howard, 103 S. Niyamoto, 201 M. Star, 203 S. Osbourn, 301 R. Park, 303 T. Schaffer, 401 T. Brahe, 405 J. Israel, 501 F. Rodriguez, 601 C. Finn, 605 B. Johnson, 102 L. Meter, 104 B. Brown, 202 T. Munson, 204 R. Chang, 302 M. Hooper, 304 R. McDonald, 403 P. Lesh, 503 B. Goldberg, 507 P. Smith, 603 M. Ibanez…_

Emma, however, pointed straight to apartment 407, the only one that didn’t have the name of the person living there. ‘Here’s your boy.’

Rumple didn’t look convinced. Or perhaps he thought it was too good to be true. ‘Or it could just be vacant.’

‘You may traffic in names and magic, but I traffic in finding people who don’t want to be found, and those sorts of folk don’t like to advertise their whereabouts.’

Emma pressed the buzzer. There came a click.

‘UPS package for 407.’

The person on the other end of the line didn’t respond, and disconnected the line.

‘Maybe you should’ve said FedEx,’ Henry suggested.

Suddenly, there came a crash and a clank in the distance. They heard a noise coming from the fire escape outside.

‘He’s running,’ said Belle, already heading for the door.

The four of them rushed outside, where they saw the hooded apartment occupant climbing down the fire escape. He reached the bottom and broke into a run through the streets.

‘That… that favour you owe me – this is it,’ Rumple told Emma hastily. ‘Get him to talk to me. I – I can’t run.’

‘Watch Henry,’ Emma told him. ‘I’ll be back.’

Rumple nodded. Emma ran after him. Without thinking, Belle slipped off her shoes and gave chase.

They chased after the unknown man through the streets of New York, stalling traffic along the way. Emma ran around the opposite side of the building while Belle pursued him and managed to ambush the man as the two met. Emma tackled him, and the two of them fell to the ground in a great and clearly painful skid.

Grimacing, Emma looked up and a stunned look overcame her face as she recognised him.

‘No… Neal?’ Emma gasped.

Neal Cassidy smiled. ‘Emma.’

‘Neal?’ Belle repeated, panting as she tried to catch her breath. _Emma knew him?_

Emma and Neal got to their feet, not taking their eyes off each other.

‘I don’t understand. What are you doing here?’

‘What am _I_ doing here?’ said Emma incredulously.

‘Yeah.’

‘I am not answering anything until you tell me the truth. Are you Gold’s son?’

‘What are you talking about? Who’s Gold?’

‘You played me,’ said Emma, eyes wide. ‘You’re from there. You played me. And he played me. You both played me! You and Gold!’

‘Whoa, Emma, slow down! What are you talking about? Who’s Gold?’

‘Your father! Rumplestiltskin.’

Neal looked afraid. ‘He’s here?’

‘Why else would I be in New York?’

‘You brought him to me?’ said Neal angrily. ‘Why would you do that?!’

‘Hey! I am the only one allowed to be angry here!’ Emma shouted back. They both seemed to have forgotten that Belle was there. ‘Did you know who I was, where I was from, the whole time? Was this just some sick twisted plan? Did – did you even care about me at all?’

‘Emma, do not –’

‘I want to know! I want the truth – all of it!’

‘Stop it!’ Belle shouted. Emma and Neal stared at her. ‘We can’t do this here. We’ve got to get off the streets.’

‘Fine!’ Neal snapped, looking all around him, like he expected his father to appear at any moment. ‘I spent a _lifetime_ running from that man. I’m not going to let him catch me. There’s a bar down the street. We can talk there.’

‘I’m not drinking with you!’ said Emma vehemently. ‘Whatever you’re going to tell me, tell me now!’

‘No, bar’s better,’ said Neal. ‘Don’t worry, you can keep yelling at me when we get there.’

Neal and Belle walked off. Emma, after a violent gesticulation of annoyance, followed them.

*

While this was going on, Rumple and Henry were discussing his son over a hotdog. Rumple thanking this fine young man for bringing Emma to Storybrooke in the first place and making this all possible, and Henry reassuring Rumple that Baelfire would forgive him, just as he had forgiven Emma for giving him up.

‘Alas, the circumstances surrounding our separation weren't quite so noble,’ said Rumple gravely.

‘But you're here now. And you want him back, right?’ said Henry.

Rumple nodded. ‘More than anything.’

‘Then that's all that matters.’ Henry smiled.

Rumple smiled fondly at him.

‘Excuse me?’ said a voice.

Rumple and Henry turned to see a young girl with a tangled mess of blonde hair standing there, dressed in a green coat, carrying a rucksack and a rolled up purple sleeping bag at her feet.

‘Do you have any spare change?’ the girl asked Rumple. ‘Enough for a sandwich, please?’

She did look quite thin and the grubbiness of her clothes suggested she had sleeping rough.

‘Yes, sure, here.’ Rumple handed her a ten dollar bill. ‘Get yourself a bacon butty or something.’

The girl took the money and smiled gratefully at Rumple. ‘Thanks.’ She picked up her sleeping bag and walked away up the street.

Henry stared at Rumple in amazement. Mr Gold, the most uncharitable man in Storybrooke, had just given money to a complete stranger. ‘You gave her money,’ he said in surprise.

Rumple put his wallet away. ‘Yeah, well… she’s a scrounger,’ Rumple mumbled.

‘Why did you give her some?’

Rumple looked after the girl and then back to Henry. ‘Because it’s probably not her fault.’

*

Belle sat at the end of the bar watching Emma and Neal talking. So that was Baelfire. She sipped her drinking, appraising him. She didn’t know why there was something vaguely familiar about him. Not just Rumple’s soft brown eyes or features that she had seen from the drawing of Bae. In fact she could’ve sworn that they had met once in the Enchanted Forest, during her stay at the Dark Castle. A tall dark stranger and a blonde woman, not unlike Emma Swan. Of course it was thirty years ago, and Rumple had had many people come to the castle, where she was mostly instructed to keep out of the way. And yet…

She couldn’t hear much of their conversation, except for Emma’s high pitched ‘…and you let me go to prison because Pinocchio told you to?!’ Eventually Emma stood up to leave. Neal stopped her. Emma looked down at her swan keychain hanging on a cord around her neck. She pulled the cord, releasing it from her neck, then handed the keychain to Neal. Belle joined them.

‘…To remind myself to never trust someone again,’ Emma told Neal coldly. ‘I have to make a call.’

As Emma left to go outside, Belle sat down next to Neal, who looked after Emma sadly. Almost longingly. Belle noticed how he seemed to be fondling the swan necklace in his hand. He exhaled through his nose and turned to see her staring at him.

‘Something wrong?’ Neal asked.

‘No, just… Have we met before?’ Belle wondered.

Neal shook his head. ‘No. I would definitely remember meeting you.’

‘Of course. Forgive me. You just remind me of someone who came to your father’s castle.’

‘I haven’t been in the Enchanted Forest since I was fourteen. It can’t have been me.’ Neal turned in his seat to face Belle properly. ‘So, who are you? And what does my father want with you?’

Belle smiled. ‘I’m Belle. And Rumple doesn’t want anything from me.’

‘Come on,’ Neal complained. ‘You made a deal with him. Why else would you be here?’

‘I did make a deal with him, a long time ago. He would save my village from the ogres, if I went with him forever as his caretaker.’

Belle did more than take care of Rumple’s estate. She made sure he ate, despite his insistence than Dark One’s didn’t need to eat, as he would often work late into the night. She would even slip an apple or sandwich into his jacket whenever he left on a deal. Then on Rumple’s birthday, after finding out the date from Jefferson, Belle had prepared a massive spread, including all of Rumple favourite foods, including meat pie and an enormous chocolate cake. Rumple had stopped dead when he’d come into the great hall.

_‘Happy birthday, Rumple,’ said Belle happily. ‘I was worried you weren’t coming back. I hope you’re hungry; we have meat pie, tea cakes, sandwiches…’_

_Rumple moved towards the table, stony faced as Belle prattled on about what she’d prepared. She shouldn’t have done this. He didn’t deserve this. ‘Stop…’ he whispered._

_‘Of course I have to thank Jefferson, if he hadn’t told me today was your birthday I never would’ve known. Everyone should celebrate their birthday –’_

_‘Can you please stop talking? Can you please just stop!’ Rumple snapped._

_Belle fell silent, realising for the first time that Rumple didn’t look happy with the surprise. He looked very upset. She had offended him and she didn’t know how or why. She felt it was safer to keep quiet. Rumple inspected the table, bending to sniff at the pie._

_‘Meat pie?’ Rumple asked._

_‘Your favourite,’ Belle whispered. ‘I found your aunts recipe.’_

_Rumple reached a hand toward the birthday cake with HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUMPLE! written on it in in gold icing, but withdrew it, covering his mouth. Taking a shaky breath he turn to Belle, who was shocked to see tears in his eyes._

_‘Why are you doing all this?’ Rumple asked timidly._

_‘I’m… I’m the caretaker,’ Belle answered, seeing that Rumple wasn’t angry at her. ‘I’m taking care of things.’_

_‘This isn’t… That’s not what caretaker’s do.’_

_‘Then why are they called caretakers? It’s what I do. And I never thanked you for saving my life.’_

_Rumple nodded silently, then ducked his head, his curly hair hiding his face. Belle came over to him._

_‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.’_

_Rumple shook his head, this throat too constricted to speak, his lips pressed tightly together. He wasn’t upset, at least not with her. He hated himself for reacting like this when Belle had put so much effort into making all this for him._

_‘What is it?’ Belle asked gently, still afraid she had done something wrong._

_Rumple drew a shaking breath and, still not looking at her, said in barely more than a whisper, ‘… just haven’t done that in a long time.’_

_Belle cupped his weathered cheek and brush away a tear with her thumb. Rumple raised his hands and touched her arms, pulling her into a hug. Words couldn’t express how much he appreciated what she had done for him. After a minute or two they broke apart and, smiling, Belle took Rumple’s hand and led him over to sit at the table. Rumple sat down and stared at his birthday cake. It was clear that it was rushed job, Jefferson having given her only a few hours to prepare it: the sponge was slightly lopsided and the icing was running down the sides, but in his eyes it was a masterpiece. A single blue star candle sat in the centre. Rumple wiped his eyes and smiled at Belle’s creation, a warm fuzzy feeling erupting in his stomach where it had lain dormant for years._

_‘Are you going to blow it out?’ Belle asked teasingly, glad to see he’d cheered up._

_‘Aye,’ Rumple chuckled thickly. He leaned forwards, staring at the candle._

_‘Make a wish.’_

_Rumple nodded, amused. Amazing, he actually thought about it. He blew out the flame in one breath._

_‘What did you wish for?’ Belle asked._

_‘Something I can’t have,’ said Rumple sadly._

_Belle saw the candle was still aglow and starting to rekindle. She made her own wish and blew it out too. ‘I wished for your wish to come true. And technically you didn’t tell me what it was, so I think I just doubled your chances.’_

_Rumple smiled at her._

_Belle cut two sizeable portions of cake and they tucked in. The interior had a chequer design made from many different coloured sponges._

_‘This is amazing, Belle,’ said Rumple appreciatively. ‘You’ve outdone yourself.’_

_‘Thank you,’ said Belle, glowing with pride. ‘If I had more time it would be better.’_

_So this was adequate? Rumple couldn’t imagine what could make it better than it already was._

_‘I can’t imagine what I’ve done to deserve your kindness.’_

_‘You saved me from the Queens of Darkness for starters. You saved my village. Need I say more? You’re amazing.’_

_Rumple snorted. ‘Hardly.’_

_‘You are!’_

_‘Am not!’ Rumple pouted_

_‘Oh, don’t pout.’_

_Belle leaned across and smudged some icing from her folk on his lips._

_‘What are you doing?’ Rumple laughed at this immature behaviour. A real laugh, not his impish titter._

_‘I am sweetening your sour expression,’ Belle told him._

_Rumple swiped his thumb across his mouth and eyed the small chocolate smear there._

_‘Don’t you dare!’ said Belle warningly, raising her folk, thinking Rumple was planning some sort of confectionery payback._

_‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’ Rumple licked the icing from his thumb. Belle eyes followed his tongue. ‘You’re already so sweet.’_

_The sentiment slipped out before he knew what he was saying and Rumple felt the heat rise in his cheeks. Belle went a little pink too, but she wasn’t unhappy about it. Rumple nervously ate some more cake, avoiding those blue eyes._

_‘What’re you thinking?’ Belle soft voice interrupted his thoughts. She had the same anxious look in her eyes, worried that she had done something to upset him. Her concern for him was touching and torture; heaven and hell combined._

_Rumple smiled and said sincerely, ‘This is the best birthday I’ve ever had. Thank you, Belle.’_

_Belle smiled, too..._

‘His caretaker?’ Neal voice interrupting the memory. ‘Like a maid?’

‘A bit more than that.’

Rumple had said he needed a caretaker for his estate. But Belle had wondered whether _he_ needed a caretaker; someone to stop him from going too far, to keep the man inside of him alive.

‘Oh right. You _care_ so he doesn’t have to.’

‘Oh, he cares,’ Belle assured him. ‘He let me go. More than a few times.’

‘My father never breaks a deal… Unless it’s someone he loves.’

‘He let me go _because_ he loves me. He’s my True Love.’

Neal stared at her. ‘You and my father are…?’

Belle nodded, beaming.

‘How long have you two been married?’

‘Ah.’ Belle ducked her head demurely. ‘Funny thing that. I’m rather afraid we’re not.’

Neal raised his eyebrows. ‘Wow. Living in sin. So you broke his curse? He’s no longer the Dark One?’

 _Ah…_ ‘He is still the Dark One,’ said Belle quietly. ‘But he’s no less your father or the man I love.’

Neal sighed, almost angry at himself for allowing himself to hope. ‘Nothing changes. He chose power over you too.’

‘Actually he chose _you_ over me,’ Belle corrected him. ‘He needed his power to find you.’

‘Then why hasn’t his curse broken here?’

‘Magic’s different here. The Dark One curse was borne of the Enchanted Forest. Only there can it be broken.’

‘And you really think he will?’

‘That’s his choice. Bae, your father –’

‘It’s Neal Cassidy.’

‘ _Neal_ , your father spent three hundred years from the moment he let you go trying to travel to this world, twenty eight years cursed waiting for it to be broken so he could leave, and travelled to this city without magic, just to find you.’

‘So what?’ said Neal indifferently. ‘I owe it to myself? Do you know anything about me? Do you have any idea what I’ve been through? Every night, for more years than you could know, the last thing I see before sleep, is the image of him… Him and me, over that pit. His hand… wrapped around mine. And then, he opens his grip. And as I fall away, all I can see is his face. Choosing all this,’ Neal imitated Rumple’s signature had flick, ‘…crap over me. Letting me go. He’s a coward who broke our deal. I owe him nothing.’

_Gods save her from the stubbornness of Stiltskins!_

‘I’m not going to justify what Rumple did,’ said Belle gently. ‘He did a terrible, stupid thing. And I’m not going to pretend I know what you’ve been through. But someone’s being a coward right now and it isn’t Rumple. Do you think he was imagining a tear-soaked reunion? He wasn’t. He was terrified of this meeting. Scared you wouldn’t want to see him. Scared you’d slam the door in his face or runaway. And he was right. But he still came. And you’re hiding from him, from your own feelings, in some seedy bar. What’s brave about that?’

Neal shifted guiltily, suddenly a little boy again.

‘Now, I didn’t want to resort to emotional blackmail, but I got shot for you. I almost died trying to get your shawl back to help Rumple find you. And now you’re telling me it was all for nothing?’

Belle pulled back her blouse to show him the bullet wound. Neal drew back a little.

‘Hashtag NoFilter.’ She covered it back up again. ‘The least you can do is talk to him. Or I’ll just keep pestering you. And, trust me, I can be _really_ annoying.’

Neal smirked. ‘Did my father ever listen?’

‘Only when he knows I’m right.’

Neal paused, playing with his scotch glass. Then he gave a heavy sigh. ‘Three minutes. He gets three minutes.’

Belle squeezed his wrist. ‘Thank you.’ She held up her own glass. ‘Dutch courage?’

Neal shook his head. ‘No. If this is the last time I’m ever going to see my father, I want to be sober enough to do it justice.’

Belle and Neal got up to leave and almost ran into Emma.

‘Where are you going?’ Emma demanded.

‘To see my father,’ said Neal. ‘Sooner we get this over with; the sooner you can leave and never have to see me again.’

Emma looked panicked by this information. ‘You can’t go back to the apartment.’

‘Why not?’ said Belle.

Emma shifted nervously from foot to foot. ‘Because I told Gold I lost you.’

‘What?’ said Neal.

Belle hurriedly pulled out her phone and called Rumple. ‘Rumple? It’s Belle. Are you at the apartment?’

Rumple looked around his son’s apartment that he’d successfully picked minutes ago. ‘You could say that.’

Belle’s heart sank. ‘Please don’t tell me you didn’t break into your son’s apartment.’

‘I didn’t break anything.’

‘Henry –’

‘– offered to play lookout. He won’t get criminal record until he’s sixteen. And most universities don’t even look into that kind of thing these days. I have to find my son, Belle.’ She could hear rummaging in drawers. ‘There may be information in here – who he is, what he does, who he loves.’

‘Rumple, this is illegal. You could get arrested.’

‘Then my son will have to testify against me and we will be reunited.’

‘I’m with your son.’

There was a pause.

‘Why would Miss Swan say you lost him?’ said Rumple, his voice deceptively calm.

‘I don’t know. But we’re coming back now. Your son’s agreed to talk to you. Please don’t do anything until we get there, okay?’ Silence. ‘Rumple?’

‘I’m here,’ said Rumple quietly. He was staring at a photo of Emma and Neal at an amusement park. ‘I’ll see you soon. And please, tell Miss Swan this turn of events has been quite a _Revelation_. She’ll know what it means.’

Rumple ended the call. Belle turned back to the others.

‘What did he say?’ asked Emma, wanting to know how much trouble she was in.

‘He’s at the flat. He says to tell you, Emma… it’s a _Revelation_.’

*

Belle and Neal waited outside while Emma entered Neal’s apartment. Rumple was waiting for her, his expression cold.

‘Emma Swan,’ said Rumple quietly, ‘the woman who can always tell when someone is lying. No one knows a lie like a liar. And I should know. I’ve carried enough lies in my life to recognise their burden.’

‘Where’s Henry?’ Emma asked him warily.

‘In the bathroom, by request of your text. Doesn’t mean he can’t hear. My son?’

‘Okay. Before you say or do anything Rumplestiltskin-y, your son is right outside.’

‘How can he be when you told me he got away? I no longer trust your word.’ He held up the photo of Emma and Neal standing in front of the illuminated Revelation ride where they’d shred their first date. ‘This is him? My Bae?’

Emma nodded. ‘I knew him as Neal. But, yeah, that’s him.’

‘Well, well, well…’ Rumple gazed at the picture. ‘Fate is a fickle thing.’

At that moment, Emma spotted the dreamcatcher she had given Neal and unhooked it from the window. After all this time, he’d kept it…

Rumple’s sharp eyes observed Emma holding the dreamcatcher tightly. ‘See something interesting, dearie?’

‘Nothing,’ said Emma quickly. ‘Uh, it just looks like a dreamcatcher.’

‘Yeah, well, if it’s nothing, why are you still holding it?’ He glared at her. ‘You’re lying to me. You’re not the only one running from something. What are you hiding?’

‘Nothing.’

‘You told me you had lost my son, and told your own son to keep out the way while the grownups deal with grownup stuff. You’re holding back. I want to know what, and why.’

‘I’m not holding back.’

‘Did he tell you something?’

‘He didn’t say anything.’

‘Ah, so you _did_ speak to him!’

‘Don’t words in my mouth!’ said Emma loudly.

‘Tell me!’ Rumple knocked stuff off the table with his cane with a loud crash, causing Emma to jump back. ‘Where – is – my – son?!’

Neal burst into the flat, followed quickly by Belle. ‘Hey! Leave her alone.’

Rumple collapsed against the bookcase as he stared at his grownup son. Once he had recovered from the shock, he took a step forward. ‘Bae…’

Neal nodded curtly.

‘It’s really you,’ Rumple whispered, drinking him in. ‘After all these years. You’re a man.’

‘No thanks to you.’

Rumple’s face fell.

‘I told Emma to tell you I slipped her net. So whatever deal she has with you, she hasn’t broken it.’

‘Please, Bae, just let me talk.’

‘No.’

‘Neal –’ Belle began.

‘No, I can’t do this. I’ve got nothing to say to you, so you might as well go.’

Rumple shook his head. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

‘Get out of my apartment!’ Neal shouted.

‘Neal…’ Emma stepped forward.

‘Emma, I got this.’

Emma flinched at Neal’s slip up.

Rumple looked between the two of them, surprised. ‘You care… How do you two know each other?’

‘You sent me chasing after him –’ said Emma quickly.

‘No, no, no, stop it! You’re lying. How do you two know each other?!’

Before Emma could respond Henry, having heard all the shouting, re-entered the living room. ‘Mom? What’s going on?’

Rumple stared open mouthed and wide eyed as he _grandson_ passed him and exchanged a meaningful look with Belle who, equally staggered, had just put two and two together as well. It wouldn’t be long before Neal and Henry figured it out too. This whole trip had gone from a Greek Tragedy to a courtroom drama.

‘Hey…’ said Emma, trying to comfort Henry.

‘Who’s this?’ Neal asked.

‘My son,’ said Emma distractedly.

‘What?’

Henry looked over at Neal. ‘Is that Baelfire?’ he asked eagerly.

Neal’s face turned from confusion to dawning comprehension.

‘Henry, I need you to stay in the other room for a little while longer, okay? Come on.’ Emma tried to rush Henry out of the room before the truth bomb exploded.

‘Wait. How old are you?’ Neal asked Henry.

‘Don’t answer him,’ Emma muttered to Henry, quickening her pace.

‘How old are you, kid?!’

‘Eleven!’ Henry shouted, pulling free of his mother. ‘Now _why_ is everyone yelling?’ Henry demanded of the room.

‘He’s eleven?’ Neal whispered to Emma.

Henry looked at Emma. ‘Mom?’

‘Is this my son?’

‘No. My dad was a fireman. He died.’ Henry looked to Emma again for reassurance. ‘That’s what you told me. You said…’

‘Is this… my son?’ Neal asked again.

Emma held Neal’s son’s face in her hands, whispering, ‘Yes.’

Henry backed away from her in disbelief. It was awful. The loss of innocence, like being told Santa wasn’t real. Except being told that his mother had lied to him about who your father was. Henry climbed out the window onto the fire escape.

After a moment passed Emma went after him. ‘Henry. Henry?’

Neal is overwhelmed by the knowledge that he had an eleven year old son. He tried to follow.

‘Baelfire –’ Rumple reached for him, but Neal shrugged it off. ‘Please. Please. All I want is a chance to be heard.’

‘Get out,’ Neal croaked.

‘You’re angry. And you have every right to be. You came back to protect Emma. To show she had lived up to her end of her bargain with me.’

‘And now she has. You can go.’

‘No. Our deal was for her to get you to talk to me. if you truly want her deal to be fulfilled… you have to talk to me.’

Neal glanced at Belle. ‘You get three minutes.’

Belle decided to give them room to talk. She came up to Rumple. ‘Do the brave thing…’

‘…and bravery will follow,’ said Rumple.

Belle kissed him on the cheek for courage and climbed onto the fire escape. Soon she wished she had gone outside into the hallway. There she was, sat between two sets of angry son’s facing up to their parents. It was uncomfortable, listening to Emma trying to explain the reason for not telling Henry because Neal broke her heart and she never wanted to see him again. Henry telling her he could’ve handled the truth. Listening him compare Emma to Regina, the Evil Queen. ‘She always lied to me too.’ He had runaway to find his birth mother because of the way Regina had treated him. And now Emma had shown she was no different than her; lying to him, thinking only of herself.

Belle turned to the apartment window, partially hidden behind the curtain, watching father and son having it out with each other.

‘Clock’s ticking,’ Neal prompted.

Rumple gripped the handle of his cane with both hands. ‘I know I’ve made mistakes. But you must believe me. I want to make up for it. There’s no greater pain than regret.’

Neal scoffed. ‘Try abandonment.’

‘I have. That’s what makes it worse. I know how it feels when someone that you love, someone who’s supposed to care about you, betrays you. I know what that’s like. And yet I inflicted that pain onto someone I love. I swore I would never ever do that to my son… And I failed.’

Belle had never met Rumple’s father, but she had met his mother. The Black Fairy. The woman who stole babies from their mother’s arms, and yet she would abandon the one child who was actually hers. She never even gave her son a name. Rumple had wanted to know why, and his mother, with no regret, just laughed and threw her son to the ground. _Sometimes you have to choose power over love_.

‘Two minutes,’ said Neal.

‘Please. Let me make it up to you.’

‘How are you going to do that? I grew up alone. I grew up without a father. How can you make up for that?’

‘I can’t make up for the lost time. I can’t undo everything that’s been done to you. There’s nothing I can offer to make up for what you’ve suffered at my hand. But I will give up anything – everything – for you to look at me as you once did. As a father, not a monster.’

‘Even Belle?’

Rumple shook his head. ‘No. I want you both in my life.’

‘Your curse?’

Rumple hesitated, then nodded. ‘Yes. If that’s what it takes. I dedicated my life to travel to this world to find you; I will do so again to break it. I’ve found you and I don’t need it anymore. I chose it once… now I choose you.’

‘But do _you_ want it broken? You want to break it for me; wouldn’t you want to break it for yourself? You should break it because you _want_ to, not because you _have_ to. It’s all meaningless if I have to force you to do anything. One minute.’

‘Bae… please. Give me a chance. You once loved me.’

‘You were once a good man.’

‘And I can be that man again. I’ve changed. Belle saw the good in me. Brought out the best in me.’

‘But not your own son? What did you think was going to happen? You think saying ‘I’m sorry’ with the big sad puppy-dog eyes is going to erase the last two hundred years? You think that’ll make it all better?’

‘No, of course not –’

‘Good. Because it won’t. You can’t. You have no idea what I’ve lived with. You’re so worried about you. You know what I’ve dealt with? Living in the gutter, begging for scraps. Sleeping in a cave, prisoner of a demon – more twisted than you – who plays mind games for fun. Growing up in a strange land… alone. Because you let go of my hand.’

‘I’m sorry…’

‘I don’t care. I didn’t get closure, so you don’t either.’ A pause. ‘So what happens now?’

‘Henry’s your son. And my grandson. Whether you like it or not that makes me a permanent feature in your life. So we need to find a way to be around each other. But I will not force my company on you. I will do whatever you ask of me. I want to earn your forgiveness. I waited three hundred years… I can wait a little longer.’

‘Even if I never forgive you?’

Rumple tautened with pain and nodded. Neal regarded his father.

‘You knew that was a possibility and you still came all this way… Why?’

‘People have to come to us so we know they love us…’ Rumple told him. It was why Belle had come back to Rumple. It was why Neal had come back for Emma. It was why Rumple had come all this way to find his son. ‘However it has to be.’

Belle waited for Neal’s reply.

‘If it’s what Henry wants,’ said Neal firmly, leaving his father in doubt how things were going to be from here on out, ‘I will be polite and I will be civil. But do not ask any more of me than that. As far as you and I are concerned… you’re Mr Gold. Nothing more.’

Rumple teared up. ‘Oh Bae.’

Neal shook his head. ‘No,’ he said shortly, already backing away. ‘Time’s up.’

Neal walked away, leaving Rumple speechless. Belle climbed back into the living room. Rumple turned to her, looking so lost. Belle came over and hugged him, Rumple clinging to her.

Emma came back in to tell Neal that Henry wanted to meet him, warning him not to break his heart. Neal assured him that he wouldn’t do to Henry what his father did to him. They were all broken, so they should try to avoid that with Henry. Neal went out to meet his son. It was awkward at first but soon Henry and Neal was smiling and chatting animatedly as they got to know each other.

Belle smiled at them. She glanced up at Rumple; father and grandfather all in one day. And having seen how sweet he was on Henry that had to be a bonus. ‘You’re a grandfather. Can you believe it?’

Rumple didn’t answer her, just silently watched Neal and Henry. When he turned away from the happy sight, Belle saw his face ambiguous with emotion.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried my best to get the names from the apartment listing. Any errors please let me know so I can correct.
> 
> Alice/Tilly will have a small part to play in the next chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewrite of present day events of the Queen is Dead and the Miller’s Daughter.
> 
> "True Love is a spiritual force that binds two hearts, and two souls, together as one." - Ellen J. Barrier  
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. This is for fun and not for profit.

Neal and Henry talked and walked down the streets of New York, Belle alongside them, Neal pointing out various sites of the city that they could see, like the Empire State Building. Rumple and Emma trailed behind them, eying the backs of their sons who did not want their company.

‘So, uh… you like pizza?’ Neal asked Henry.

‘Yeah,’ said Henry. He grinned. ‘Let me guess. You’re gonna tell me the best pizza’s in New York and I gotta try it, right?’

‘Actually, it’s in the Kingdom of Damarian in the north of the Dragon Fields of Zorn. Nah, it’s in New York. Here, let’s get you a slice.’ Neal pointed to a pizza shop. ‘How ‘bout you, Belle? You like pizza?’

‘I’ve... never had pizza,’ Belle admitted. She had tried iced tea, pancakes with syrup, hamburgers, but she had yet to try pizza.

Neal looked shocked. ‘Never had… Right, we’re getting you a slice. Extra large. Extra cheese. Come on.’

Neal and Henry enter the pizza shop. Belle glanced back at Rumple, who nodded encouragingly. Belle went in while Emma and Rumple stood outside.

She heard Emma ask Rumple, ‘Do you think we should…?’

‘If we were welcome, I feel confident an invitation would have been extended,’ Rumple assured her sadly.

Belle sighed. She felt bad for them both. Neal handed her a large slice of pizza wrapped in a napkin. She took a bite, tasting tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Neal was right, it _was_ delicious!

Belle went outside to join Rumple and Emma, who seem to be discussing whether Emma still had feelings for his son.

‘You want a second chance with that man,’ Rumple was saying to Emma.

‘What makes you think that?’ said Emma.

Rumple smirked knowingly. ‘The look on your face.’

Emma looked shocked by the insinuation, only confirming Rumple’s suspicions as he’s smile broadened in amusement. ‘You have no idea what –’

‘What are we talking about?’ Neal had appeared, followed by Henry and Rumple quickly sobered.

‘Emma, Neal wanted to show me the museum. Do you think we can go back to the apartment and get my camera?’ asked Henry.

Belle noted Henry calling her Emma not mom.

‘Yeah, well, I… kids like culture, right?’ Neal checked with Emma. He had only been a father a few hours and was so desperate to get it right.

‘Sure. Yeah, that fine,’ said Emma.

‘I know Belle will appreciate it,’ Rumple informed him. He turned to Belle, smiling, ‘So, Belle, how does the New York cuisine compare to Storybrooke?’

Belle smiled, tucking into her pizza. She swallowed her mouthful. ‘Well, New York definitely wins it for best pizza.’ She raised her slice to Neal. ‘But nothing beats Granny’s hamburgers.’

‘Your grandmother owns diner?’ Neal asked Belle.

‘Oh, Granny’s not my granny,’ said Belle. ‘She’s everybody’s granny. But she is Ruby’s granny.’

‘Ruby… Red? As in Riding Hood?’

Emma laughed. ‘Yeah. Tell me about it. You like the New York pizza, kid?’ she added brightly to Henry.

‘Yeah,’ said Henry. ‘It’s delicious, cheesy, and doesn’t lie?’

 _Ouch_. Emma looked hurt by that.

After consuming their pizza, they headed back to the apartment. Belle hoped that there was time after the museum for them to visit the New York Public Library. Its size and the giant stone lions outside made her library back in Storybrooke, even in pictures, look so small and unremarkable. Who knew what books they held? All that knowledge, all that history, untold stories just waiting to be read.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang as a blonde girl landed on a wheelie bin like a cat, having just jumped down from the roof above. She hopped down onto the sidewalk in front of them.

‘Um… hello?’ said Belle, slightly startled.

The girl looked her up and down and smiled at her. To Henry, she handed him an envelope. ‘Give this to your gramps, will you?’

Henry took it without question. ‘Okay…’

‘Thanks.’

‘Henry!’ Emma called from the back, having seen her son talking to a stranger.

Rumple’s eyes followed the girl. ‘It’s all right, Miss Swan. She’s –’

But Emma wasn’t listening, hurrying over to Henry as the girl crossed the road. ‘Henry, who was that?’

‘Oh, that’s Tilly,’ Neal explained, recognising her. ‘Eyes and ears over the city. She’s fine.’

‘She wanted to give you something, Rumple,’ said Belle.

Henry handed Rumple the envelope. Rumple opened it revealing a deli receipt for an orange marmalade sandwich and his change. Written on the back of the receipt was:

_Thank you._

_T x_

_(\\_/)_

_(^_^)_

   (___) 0

 

Rumple turned to see Tilly across the street, sitting on top of the back rest of a bench eating her sandwich. She smiled at him and waved. She reached down for her white rabbit toy, also eating a sandwich, and made it wave its paw at him. Rumple, unused to anyone giving him thanks let alone a genuine smile, nervously returned the wave.

‘But who is she?’ Emma insisted.

Henry shrugged. ‘I don’t know. She’s homeless, I think. Mr Gold gave her money for a sandwich.’

They walked on.

‘Gold?’ Emma repeated, staring at Rumple’s back in disbelief. ‘The man who gives no reprieves on his debts, the man who wouldn’t even put in a donation for Miner's Day, just did something nice for another human being – other than Belle – and gave money to a homeless girl to get herself something to eat? _Gold_?’

‘Sometimes people aren’t who you thought they were,’ said Henry coldly, and hurried to catch up with Rumple and Belle.

‘How long do you think he’ll stay mad at me?’ Emma asked Neal miserably. ‘If you’re still angry at your father after all these years…’

‘Different circumstances.’ Neal touched her shoulder gently. ‘Give him time. He’ll forgive you.’

‘That’s what your father said.’ Emma eyed Rumple’s back and glanced back at the homeless girl, Tilly, eating her sandwich. ‘Can you believe that of Gold?’

‘Strange as it sounds, I can,’ Neal admitted. ‘Apart from ending the Ogres War, that was the last good, selfless thing my father did. We didn’t have much money, but my father gave alms to a beggar collecting for the poor. Turns out the beggar was the Dark One. He tricked my father into killing him to free himself from this burden by saddling papa with his curse. Ironic isn’t it? The prince became a beast for turning away the beggar. And my father became a beast for helping the beggar.’

‘That’s a bad deal,’ Emma sympathetically.

*

Tilly finished her sandwich, packed away Mr Rabbit and half sandwich, walking in the opposite direction of the group. A tall figure in black passed her and Tilly slowed, a bad feeling sweeping through her. _Danger… great danger… evil… revenge… bloodlust… malicious intent… murder…_ She turned to see a black haired man in a black leather coat. His left hand deep in his pocket, looking furtively around as he followed the group. Tilly hurried down the alley, using parkour to get to a phone box, pulling a quarter out of Mr Rabbit’s ear.

*

They were almost at Neal’s apartment, unaware of the looming danger.

‘So should I call you grandpa now?’ Henry asked Rumple brightly.

‘Call me whatever you like,’ Rumple muttered, limping a pace faster.

Henry looked confused and a little hurt by that remark. Belle hurried to find out what that was about.

‘What’s going on, Rumple?’ Belle asked.

‘Nothing,’ Rumple dismissed, not looking at her. ‘Just processing.’

‘Your grandson was trying to talk to you just then and you brushed him off.’

Rumple didn’t answer her.

‘You and Henry were getting on so well yesterday. Why does finding out Henry’s your grandson change anything?’

‘Because it does,’ Rumple snapped. He hadn’t meant for his voice to rise. He looked back at the others before lowering his voice to Belle, ‘I can’t discuss it here, Belle.’

Belle could only hope that they _will_ discuss it.

Rumple opened the door to the apartment building allowing Henry, Belle, Emma and Neal to go inside ahead of him. Neal opened the lobby gate and he, Henry and Belle headed up to his apartment.

‘So after this, maybe Times Square,’ said Neal.

They climbed the stairs while Rumple and Emma waited in the lobby. Then just as they reached the apartment Belle cried out as something invisible stabbed her in the heart and she dropped to her knees in pain, clutching her chest.

‘Belle!’ Neal knelt before her to see what was wrong. ‘Belle, what’s the matter?’

Neal’s concerned face swam before her. She blinked and Neal turned into Hook, his hook buried in her chest. ‘Tick-tock,’ he snarled, as she panted in pain and fear. He wrenched his hook free and held the bloody instrument aloft for the final blow. ‘Time’s up, Crocodile.’

Belle gasped as her eyes flew open. ‘Rumple!’

She ran back down the corridor, taking the stairs two steps at a time. She crashed into the lobby to find Rumple slumped against the gate and Emma crouched beside him, her face white. ‘Gold, are you all right?’

‘Oh my gods, Rumple!’ Belle knelt beside him. She saw Hook lying unconscious, spread-eagled on the floor, a discarded bin beside him, that Emma had used to clobber him.

‘What the hell’s going on?’ Neal had arrived.

‘One of your dad’s enemies found us,’ Emma gasped.

‘Hook,’ Neal whispered, casting the pirate a dark look.

‘You know him?’

Neal checked Rumple’s wound. When he pulled his hand away, his fingers were covered in blood. ‘Papa…’

Rumple’s eyes filled at being address thus by his son.

‘I’m calling the police,’ said Emma, reaching into her coat pocket for her phone.

At that moment, there was a siren, a flashing on red and blue lights and the door burst open as three cops came running in. ‘NYPD!’

‘Wha –’ Emma gaped, staring from them to her phone that she hadn’t even started dialling yet.

Belle was in equal astonishment by their timely arrival. ‘How did you –’

‘We got a call there was a stabbing?’ said one of the officers.

Rumple, Belle, Emma and Neal all pointed at the unconscious Hook.

‘Who does he think he is? Captain Jack Sparrow?’

‘Worse,’ said Belle quickly. ‘He thinks he’s really Captain Hook. He needs serious psychiatric help.’

While the officers took care of Hook, Belle and Neal had helped an injured Rumple back up to the apartment and settled him on the sofa. Rumple was sweating and in great discomfort. Emma came in at that moment, having finished telling the officers what had happened.

‘Well, our stab-happy pirate is banged up. Bloody hook, CCTV footage and believing he’s actually _the_ Captain Hook, he shouldn’t be causing anyone else any problems. He thought jell-o was weird, wait ’til he tries bologna. And get this – he had a map on him. It looks like he sailed his ship here.’

Emma threw said map on the coffee table.

‘How’d he get a pirate ship to New York?’ Neal asked Emma.

‘It’s cloaked,’ Belle explained as she unbuttoned Rumple’s shirt to get a better look at the wound.

‘Don’t worry, Henry. He’s not gonna hurt any of us,’ Emma assured a worried Henry, who had thankfully remained in the apartment while the ruckus in the lobby had been going on.

But that wasn’t what was worrying Henry as he stared at his wounded grandpa. ‘But is Mr Gold going to be okay?’

‘Henry, he’s gonna be fine,’ Neal told him as he and Belle went into the kitchen to find bandages and water.

Henry moved closer to the sofa where Rumple was ripping off his tie. ‘Mr Gold, are you all right?’

Suddenly Rumple grabbed him and pulled his close. ‘ _You_ stay away from me!’ he hissed in a low voice. ‘ _You_ caused this. _You_ brought us back here. _You_ did this!’

He released his grip on Henry as Belle came back carrying a bowl of water and a damp cloth. ‘Rumple, Rumple, stop. It’s okay, it’s okay.’ She applied the wet cloth to his forehead. ‘Henry, it’s just fever. This is nobody’s fault, okay?’

Henry nodded but treated nonetheless.

‘Hey, kid,’ Emma handed Henry her phone. ‘The battery’s dead. Go in the other room and see if you can find a charger, okay?’

‘Okay.’ Henry disappeared into Neal’s room.

‘Shame your guardian angel didn’t have the foresight to call an ambulance too, Gold,’ said Emma.

‘Oh man,’ said Neal at the sight of all that blood. ‘We gotta get to E.R. fast.’

‘No, it’s pointless,’ Rumple winced.

The wound had turned yellow-green. Belle gasped.

‘What the hell _is_ that?’ said Emma disgusted.

‘It’s poison,’ said Rumple, his voice strained. ‘It’s one of Hook’s own making. There’s no antidote in this world.’ He slumped against the pillows. ‘It’s… it’s not from here.’

‘Hey, hey, hey,’ Neal gripped his father’s shoulder to keep him conscious. ‘There’s gotta be some way we can save you.’

‘There is. There is.’

‘Storybrooke,’ said Emma. ‘There’s magic there now. We need to get him back.’

‘I’ll get a car,’ said Neal rising to his feet.

‘No, no, no, we don’t have time,’ Rumple shook his head. ‘We need something faster.’ He grunted as he sat a little straighter. ‘The Captain’s ship.’

‘ _The_ _Jolly Roger_ instead on a car?’ said Emma.

‘It’s the fastest vessel in all the realms.’

‘He’s right,’ said Belle. ‘It was once known as _the Jewel of the Realm_. It has the feathers of Pegasus sewn into a sail to make it fly.’

‘Well, that’s great, but who’s gonna captain it since the only man qualified wants you dead?’

‘I can do it,’ Neal said.

Rumple stared at his son, exhaling sharply. ‘Bae?’

Neal nodded in assurance. ‘Yeah. I can do it.’

‘You know how to sail a pirate ship?’ said Emma incredulously.

‘Yeah, I do.’

Rumple’s health didn’t improve as they waited for Neal to hear back from someone who could loan them a car to get them to the docks. He was semi-conscious as the poison spread through him.

‘Hey. Rumple, can you hear me?’ Belle whispered, shaking him, as Rumple’s eyes remained closed for the longest time.

Rumple forced his eyes open, as if it was the most strenuous task he’d ever undertaken. He looked around him, vaguely confused to find himself here, before his eyes found Belle and his expression cleared.

‘Yeah…’ he sighed, nodding. ‘Yes, Belle, I can hear you.’

‘You’re not going to die. You _can’t_ die.’

Rumple’s smile was more of a grimace. ‘Ah, Belle… You’ve got a schedule for everything.’

Behind them they could hear Emma and Neal discussing how this world wasn’t his first stop when he fell through the portal. If it had he would be a couple hundred years old by now. Neal’s phone rang and he left to answer it.

‘Emma, you have to see this.’ Henry came rushing back into the room, brandishing Emma’s phone.

‘What is it, kid?’

‘It’s a text from David and Mary Margaret. You need to read it – now.’

Emma read the text. ‘Bad news, Gold.’

‘What, worse than incurable poison?’ Rumple grunted.

‘I don’t know. You tell me. You got a dagger hidden somewhere in Storybrooke that’s the source of all your power?’

‘Get to your point,’ Rumple snarled, breathing deeply.

‘Cora’s after it. The only way to stop her is have David and Mary Margaret get to it first.’

Rumple scoffed. ‘Yeah, let her try.’

‘You can’t seriously be willing to risk this, not with your son coming back with you to Storybrooke.’

‘Miss Swan, that dagger has not left my possession for centuries.’ Rumple voice dropped to a whisper, ‘It’s not about to now. Belle and I took precautions.’

Emma came over to him. ‘Here’s the thing. You’re dying… and right now we are your best hope. Time’s come for you to start trusting someone. If I were you, I’d start with family.’

Rumple glanced at Belle, who nodded. What choice did they have?

‘Belle’s library,’ he told them. ‘The clock tower. Behind the minute hand.’

Emma relayed its location back to her parents and went to find Neal about this car. Belle prayed the Charmings found the dagger first and did nothing else with it. She had researched the dagger and discovered it was bound to the host’s soul, just as their soul was bound to the curse. The voice of the Dark One did not only whisper to Rumplestiltskin. It spoke to the one who wielded the dagger, as if they were the Dark One themselves, twisting their intent, making them use that power for evil, or furthering their vain ambitions, like the Duke of the Frontlands.

Rumple glanced over at Henry who was hanging back after his outburst. ‘Belle… could you… could I have a drink of water?’

Belle hesitated.

‘I promise I won’t die…’ Rumple promised, his eyes straying to Henry.

Belle glanced over at him, smiling faintly. She kissed Rumple’s hand, stroked his damp hair and disappeared into the kitchen.

Now grandfather and grandson were alone together.

‘Is there anything I can do to help?’ Henry asked, his voice small and wary.

Rumple shook his head. ‘I’m sorry I snapped at you, Henry…’ he said heavily. ‘This was Hook’s doing… and my own. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I just –’

Encouraged by this, Henry moved nearer to the sofa, sitting next to Rumple. ‘I know. You’re hurt and in pain. And you’re scared. I am too. You know why? ’Cause I don’t want to lose my grandfather before I even get a chance to know him. All these years and we never knew we were family. Who’s going to tell me stories of what my dad was like when he was my age?’

Rumple smiled weakly. Henry took his hand.

‘We need you. Belle needs you. Dad needs you. You can’t leave us now.’

‘Promise me, Henry,’ Rumple whispered. ‘Promise you’ll see Belle’s looked after, if I don’t make it.’

‘I promise. But you _can’t_ die. This isn’t how it’s supposed to end. You’re stronger than any old pirate’s stupid poison. You’ve got to fight it!’

‘I’m trying, Henry…’ Rumple’s eyes roamed over his grandson’s face. ‘You always reminded me of Bae. How could I not have seen it?’

Henry smiled. In spite of his fearsome reputation, and Henry being the Mayor's son, Mr Gold had always been kind to him. ‘I think you did, even if you didn’t realise it at the time. I want more time.’

‘Sometimes you don’t get more… If life had been kinder… I knew my ending would not be a happy one…’

Rumple’s eyes drifted shut, defeated. But Henry wasn't going to let him give up that easily.

‘Once upon a time, there was a poor spinner who loved his son more than anything in this world…’

Rumple opened his eyes again and Belle moved closer to listen to Henry’s story.

‘There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his son. His village may have branded him a coward. But would a coward enter a burning building to steal a magic dagger, face the most powerful being in the realms alone, and sacrifice his soul to save his son? He kept his son, and the sons of others, from being slain in the Ogres War, but then he lost him to another world. He spent centuries trying to find a way to get his son back, denying himself happiness with his true love when he found her, because he’d made a promise. He created a curse that would take him to the Land Without Magic, found a queen evil enough to cast it, and the kingdom of Storybrooke was created. Twenty eight years he waited, until the Saviour came to town and broke the curse. And when she did, his true love, free of the Evil’s Queen’s clutches, came back to him. But his journey wasn’t over yet. He had to find a way to leave town without losing all this memories of his loved ones. But with his Beauty’s help, they found the way. But just as they made ready to leave, the vile Captain Hook shot the spinner’s love, who had just saved his life, in the back, and _gloated_. He mocked your pain. But that wasn’t enough for the marauding cur. The pirate followed the father in search of his son, and attacked him without warning, like the coward he is. Everything that man had he took first. But such hatred as his could never triumph. Hook failed to take the spinner’s heart, and he will fail to take his life. Because the spinner would never abandon his loved ones.

‘Are you going to let him get away with it, Rumplestiltskin?’ Henry demanded. ‘Are you going to leave your true love alone after she fought so hard to get back to you? Are you going to let Hook rob you of the chance to make things right with your son, after it took you _three centuries_ to find him? Are you going to let that pirate _win_?’

Henry’s words ignited the fire in Rumple’s eyes, and his face twisted in a snarl. ‘ _No_.’

‘That’s the Rumplestiltskin I know!’ said Henry happily. ‘You know, if it wasn’t for you, I never would have found my dad. Thank you.’

Henry hugged Rumple. Rumple hesitated then returned the hug.

‘Henry… about you calling me grandpa…? It’s my honour.’

‘You got it, grandpa.’

Belle smiled at them. Emma and Neal came back into the apartment and stopped dead when they saw the alien scene of Rumple and Henry hugging on the sofa.

Henry pulled back and smiled. ‘See? We’ll get you home. You’ve got family now. And family never gives up on each other. Just hang in there, grandpa.’

Henry and Belle helped Rumple stand. Neal supported his other side.

‘Come on, old man,’ Neal said brusquely. ‘Hell’s not ready for you yet.’

‘I'm sure you’ll give me plenty of it, son,’ said Rumple.

*

In no time at all, they were sailing Hook’s ship towards Storybrooke. Neal and Henry were on deck steering, while below decks Rumple lay on a bunk in great discomfort. He groaned in pain, clutching Belle’s hand as Emma ducked in to check on him.

‘You don’t look very comfortable,’ she said.

‘The poison racing towards my heart will have that effect,’ Rumple growled.

Emma came over to the bed. ‘Tell me about this, uh, knife of yours. Cora and Regina… if they do have it, they can make you do anything?’

‘Indeed.’

‘Like… kill us all?’

Rumple nodded. ‘Yeah.’ He saw the fear and doubt in the Saviour’s eyes. ‘You’re hoping I bleed to death now, aren’t you?’

‘You’re Henry’s grandfather,’ said Emma. ‘We’re family now. I’m going to save you.’

‘Oh, I feel so reassured,’ said Rumple dryly.

Belle couldn’t blame his lack of faith. He’d counted on Charming to keep Hook locked up while they were away and he'd got stabbed and was dying a slow painful death through poison. He'd entrusted the location of the dagger to the Charmings and they had allowed Cora and Regina to take it. And if they hadn’t, he had sensed their excitement of the very idea that Rumplestiltskin could finally be controlled.

Charming, Snow and Ruby arrived at the docks to meets them. Neal and Belle helped Rumple off the ship.

‘Are you okay?’ called Snow.

‘Yeah. Yeah, we’re all right,’ said Emma.

Charming took Belle’s place in helping Rumple to his truck. Ruby greeted Belle with a hug.

‘Uh, I drove a ship,’ Henry piped up excitedly.

‘Did you now?’ said Charming.

‘Yeah, my dad showed me how.’

Neal raised his hand at his unofficial father-in-law. ‘That’s… me.’

They set Rumple down on the back of the truck.

‘Thank you. Thank you,’ Rumple panted, clutching the bloody bandage to his chest.

‘Is Cora trying to control you with the dagger?’ Charming asked him seriously.

‘Well, you’d know if she saw, because most of you would be dead by now.’

‘But she can’t use it now while you’re in this condition,’ said Belle.

‘Not unless she wants to kill me faster.’

‘Well, then we’ll just have to take the fight to her before that can happen,’ said Snow.

‘We will,’ Charming assure her.

‘And this time, we finish it.’

If Belle hadn’t seen Snow’s mouth move, she wouldn’t have believed it. When did Snow White become so bloodthirsty?

‘What’s happened?’ Belle asked Ruby.

Ruby sighed sadly. ‘Cora forced Snow to give her your dagger by threatening her handmaiden Johanna’s life. And she killed her anyway.’

‘Well, that’ll do it,’ said Rumple in understanding.

‘Mary Margaret…’ Charming began.

‘David, she needs to be stopped. She needs to be killed. This is our family. We are going to protect it.’

‘Of course we will. But what you’re talking about goes beyond that.’

‘Does it? Because she’s the reason you never met my mother.’

‘I know. I know what happened to Queen Eva, and I have zero problem with Cora dying for it. But not by your hand. And not out of vengeance.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you wouldn’t be able to live with yourself. You have the purest heart of anyone I have ever known. That’s who you are. And that’s who you’re going to stay.’

‘You okay?’ Emma asked Rumple.

‘Ah, I’m beginning to feel a bit stronger.’ Rumple struggled to stand up. ‘Take me back to the shop. There’s magic there that can protect us.’

‘Let me guess, I get to go with Ruby,’ said Henry.

‘You got it, kid.’

‘I’ll keep him out of danger,’ Ruby promised.

‘Thank you,’ said Snow.

‘Don’t look so worried,’ said Henry confidently, his anger towards his mother momentarily set aside in wake of the immediate threat. Another villain for the heroes to defeat. ‘You’ll stop Cora. You won’t let her get away.’

 

As they entered Rumple’s shop Belle saw the broken face of the clock tower over her library. Was that where Johana was thrown? She was an innocent and had been murdered to prove a point. Evil doesn’t play by the rules. They settled Rumple on the bed in the backroom of the shop to rest. Emma came in a second later carrying an empty glass jar.

‘Emma, did you find it?’ Rumple asked.

‘Yeah, there’s nothing in it.’ Emma shook the jar, creating a clinking sound. ‘What the hell?’ She dipped her hand into the jar and grabbed something invisible.

‘Invisible chalk. Use it in the front and side doorway. Draw a line. The rest of you might want to prepare for battle.’

Belle took an invisible chalk and followed the others out. Then Rumple called Snow back, asking for a warmer blanket. Belle drew a line on the side door while Emma did the front door. Hidden behind the glass cabinet, she could hear Neal teasing Emma saying she missed a bit and Emma denying she was bothered that Neal was engaged when they hadn’t seen each other in ten years.

A few minutes later a wave of light magic passed over the shop. Emma had activated the protection spell using her Saviour magic. It was beautiful. Snow came back into the front of the shop. Belle glimpsed a black and white candle that Snow stuffed into her pocket. Snow looked conflicted. Her husband noticed this too as they looked out for Cora and Regina. But his wife denied it, saying she was fine. What had she and Rumple been talking about?

A tremor surged through the building. Cora and Regina used their cumulative magic to create a mega fireball to break down the protection spell. They entered the shop to meet Emma, Neal and Charming armed with swords.

‘Regina, think about what you’re doing,’ Emma pleaded.

‘Don’t talk to me,’ said Regina.

Well that concluded negotiations.

While everyone was distracted Snow sneaked out the side door, noticed only by Belle. As Charming deflected Regina’s fireball with his sword, Belle retreated to Rumple.

‘It has begun,’ he whispered.

‘What did you say to Snow?’ Belle asked, thinking of that candle.

‘I played my last card. Though Snow White is keeping hers close to her chest.’

‘What will it do?’

‘Stop Cora and save my life. Or she’ll be determined to remain White as Snow and I die. The question she needs to ask herself is: which is the lesser of two evils?’

*

‘Fall back to Gold! I have the chalk,’ Emma yelled.

Emma and Neal fled to the back of the shop. Emma drew a line in the front of the curtain with the chalk, creating a protective barrier. On the other side Cora clenched her fingers, attempting to penetrate the barrier spell. On their side, Belle saw the magical barrier start to disintegrate. It was beginning to give way.

‘It’s getting weaker,’ said Neal. ‘She’s gonna get through.’

‘Maybe it’s for the best,’ said Rumple heavily. ‘At least this cursed power will pass from this world.’

‘No.’ Neal dumped his sword on the workbench and sat down. ‘No, you’re not dying.’

‘I am dying. That much is certain.’ He looked at Emma with tired eyes. ‘Thank you for trying, Emma.’ Then he reached for Belle. ‘Belle, please…’

Belle came over and took his hand, sitting down on the bed beside him.

‘Before I go…’

‘Don’t talk like that,’ said Belle desperately.

‘Ssh, ssh, please listen,’ Rumple begged her gently. He clasped her hand in both his own, gazing at her through a haze of pain as if she were an angel. ‘Being with you, this journey we shared, the deal we struck… was the best decision I ever made. I was missing something I never knew I needed…’

Belle nodded, tearfully. She felt the same. ‘But, what about me? What am I going to do without you? I need you, Rumple.’

‘No you don’t… Belle, you’re a strong, independent woman. You’re not defined by your relationship with me. You’ve made a life for yourself in Storybrooke. And a circle of friends who love you as you are. You think you don’t know who you are without me. But I do…’

Emma turned her back, feeling like she was intruding on such a beautiful moment. Neal could do no more than close his eyes and pretend hear couldn’t hear his father saying goodbye to his girlfriend.

Rumple drew a shaky breath. ‘You are a hero who helped your people. You’re a beautiful woman who loved an ugly man. Really, really loved me. You find goodness in others, and when it’s not there, you create it.’ A tear slid down his cheek from behind his closed eyelids. ‘You make me want to go back… back to the best version of me. And that never happened before. So when you look in the mirror, and you don’t know who you are… _that’s_ who you are.’

Both Rumple and Belle were crying now. Belle had never heard anything so beautiful. Rumple believed in her just as much as she believed in him.

‘Thank you, Belle.’

A small sob escaped her as they hugged, Belle resting on his chest, listening to his thumping heart, her tears soaking his blue shirt and Rumple held her close, stroking her hair, breathing in her sweet scent.

Neal cleared his throat and broke the awkward silence. ‘I didn’t know you had that in you.’

‘Oh, I’m full of love,’ Rumple told him. ‘I spent a lifetime looking for you. For the chance to say I love you. And I’m sorry.’

Neal fidgeted, still not looking at his father. ‘I didn’t think you would go back on our deal,’ he muttered.

‘I just made the wrong choice,’ said Rumple weakly. He extended his hand to Neal. ‘May I?’ he asked hopefully.

‘I’m still angry,’ said Neal, a quaver in his voice.

‘I know,’ Rumple sighed.

Suddenly Neal grasped his father’s hand and sank to his knees as he cried, resting his forehead against his. Belle reached for Neal and, despite not knowing each other very long, Neal reached out his free arm to Belle. The three of them stayed that way for a long moment. The family they would never be.

Finally, Cora broke through the barrier and entered the back room. Emma and Neal were armed with swords and stood in front of Rumple, ready to fight.

‘You two – out of the way,’ said Cora with a wave of her gloved hand.

Emma and Neal were magically teleported out of the room and reappeared on a random path in the middle of the woods. Belle stood between Rumple and Cora.

‘And you are?’ Cora asked.

‘Belle,’ Belle told her bravely. ‘I may not have magic or weapons, but I will defend Rumplestiltskin until my last breath.’

Cora smiled nastily. ‘Famous last words.’

With a second wave of her hand and a puff of blue smoke she turned Belle into a red rose. Rumple, barely clinging onto life, could only watch as Cora picked up his beloved Belle and sniffed.

‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet – ah!’

Thorns extended from the rose’s stem, pricking her finger and drawing blood. The leaves shivered in anger and the red petals shone redder. Even as an enchanted rose Belle wasn’t going to let anyone decide her fate. As Cora laid the Belle-rose on Rumple’s chest, the thorns retracted.

‘A vision told me about you,’ Rumple told Cora tiredly. ‘Told me this day would come. But it didn’t tell me everything. Didn’t tell me what I really wanted to know.’

Cora sat next to Rumple on the bed. ‘And what was that?’

‘Did you ever love me?’ Rumple asked.

Cora stroked the side of his face. ‘Why do you think I had to rip my own heart out? You were my weakness. You are the only man I ever truly loved.’

Cora stood up and raised the dagger, which only had one letter left, above Rumple, who closed his eyes, waiting for the killer blow. Before she had the chance to stab him Cora suddenly jolted forwards, dropping it. She staggered sideways revealing Regina who had just shoved her mother’s heart back into her chest. The dagger fell to the ground, Rumplestiltskin's name fully restored as Rumple’s eyes flew open as he seemed to instantly recover. Seconds later Belle reappeared in a cloud of blue smoke, laying across his chest. Cora massaged her chest and looked up at Regina. Upon seeing her daughter, Cora’s demeanour changed completely and she smiled. Regina smiled back, looking so hopeful.

‘Mother…’ said Regina happily.

Cora continued with her strange behaviour and began to laugh. All those emotions she’d been cut herself off from for so long, it must be what it felt like to get high. Belle took advantage of their mother-daughter moment to seize the dagger from the floor. Rumple checked the wound on his chest and discovered that it had completely healed over without so much as a scar.

‘Belle, the dagger,’ he said quickly, fighting to sit up. But Belle didn’t respond. ‘Belle?’

Belle didn’t seem to hear him. Rumple peered around to look at her. Belle’s eyes had darkened and were fixed upon the blade. Frozen in place, she had fallen into a trance, the voices of the curse whispering to her. Time seemed to slow down as the Dark One’s words filled her head. Good and pure as she was, she was slowly succumbing to the dagger’s darkness. The darkness preyed on a person’s greatest weakness.

_Take the power… protect your spinner… protect his son... kill them… be the hero who defeated the Queens of Evil Hearts… end their reign of tyranny… protect what’s yours… take the power… take the power…_

Rumple grasped Belle’s hand to awaken her, silencing their voices. ‘Belle…’

Belle looked at him. Rumple’s anxious face swam before her.

‘Look at me. Don’t look at the dagger. Look at me. You have to give it to me.’

Belle just looked at him.

‘Belle, please. Give me the dagger.’

Belle looked from Rumple to the dagger. She blinked and her expression turned scared. Slowly she held it out and Rumple took it back. The moment she parted with the blade her head cleared. She felt shaken; she had only held it for a few seconds and had allowed the curse to twist her thoughts.

‘Thank you,’ Rumple said gratefully and relieved that she had come back. ‘I thought I lost you.’

Belle hugged Rumple tightly. ‘I thought I lost you too. I’m sorry. I knew what it would do. It just swept me away. All those voices whispering in your ear. How do you do it?’

‘I’ve had centuries of practice riding the dragon. It is very seductive. We all have a dark side, whether we want to admit it or not. But you fought it, Belle.’

Belle nodded, listening to the steady beat of his still beating heart. He was alive. They were together.

But it came with a price.

Cora paused in her giddy laughter and looked down, where she saw a hole has developed on her chest. Regina clutched her as she collapsed to the floor and held Cora in her arms.

‘Mother?’ Regina asked, shakily. ‘Mother? What’s wrong?’

Cora looked at Rumple, regret in her eyes. ‘This… would have been enough.’ She looked up at her daughter. ‘You… you would have been enough.’

Then Cora’s eyes closed as the poisoned took hold and died in Regina’s arms.

‘Mother? What’s going on? Mother? Don’t leave me, please…’

Regina started to cry. She had just got her mother back, a mother who could love her, and she had lost her.

‘I’m so sorry, Regina,’ said Belle sadly. She knew the feeling of losing a mother. Knew exactly how Regina must be feeling, even if it was Cora.

‘What am I going to do?’ Regina whispered, sounding like a lost child.

Rumple watched her sadly. He didn’t look triumphant at beating death. He gazed down at the woman he’d loved, who had broken his heart, and at his broken former student who, despite all the pain her mother had caused her, still loved her. ‘Your mother did you no favours,’ he told Regina quietly.

He wasn’t mocking her in her grief; he was speaking to her as a friend. But Regina, face tear-stained, rounded on him as if he were dancing on Cora’s grave singing _Ding Dong the Witch is Dead_. ‘Shut up! You stole her life! You cast some spell…’

‘I did nothing,’ said Rumple sadly.

Just as Regina realised what had happened, a frantic Snow came rushing into the room with Charming trailing behind her. ‘Regina! Stop!’

Snow stopped in horror when she saw Regina cradling her dead mother. She was too late. Regina had fallen for her trick and had affectively killed her own mother. Because of _her_.

Regina’s face was murderous. Snow White had taken her true love Daniel, her family had taken her son Henry, and now she had taken her mother too. ‘ _You did this…_ ’

They had done it now. They had woken the sleeping dragon. Everyone was going to pay the price now…

 


End file.
